Heirs and Foreigners
by pcalix
Summary: "It takes a journey through hell to turn a boy into a squid." Some characters created by TamarinFrog. **Currently being redesigned. Please hold.**
1. SCENE I:ROUTINE

**SCENE I: REBIRTH**

* * *

 **CHAPTER I: ROUTINE  
**

* * *

 _I can't stop in the open or I'm done for!_

This thought drives me forward as my Splattershot sprays in my hands to ink a green path to safety. I dive head first into the smear of green even as a high-velocity ink spray impacts near me, desperation making me zigzag under the ink towards cover. More ink sprays splat shockingly close to me as I evade and as I reach something solid to get behind, my body rises out of the ink at a foot-first slide. Another stream of ink impacts near my head, spraying my face with burning residue as I push my entire body behind cover, pulling myself into a ball to avoid further sprays. My face hisses from hostile ink and I force myself to control my agony, gritting my teeth and trying to stay in cover as best I can.

As if noticing my cowering, two more ink sprays impact on top of the cover I'm behind, splattering purple ink over the top to run down in droplets. I only notice this when some of the ink drips onto my left arm, forcing me to crawl in pain towards the far end away from the ink. As I crawl further and find a spot not covered in hostile ink, I relax my body and quickly look around. It's hard to focus through the pain but I'm still able to note with annoyance that my ally is still charging up the ramp a few meters away. She was doing her best to dodge the attempts of an enemy attempting to splat her with the ink thrown off his Roller.

The battle is no contest, my ally immediately returning fire with her Splat Dualies once she finds an opening and exploding her assailant into a green puddle. She continues her rapid advance up the hill as I shake my head when another Splat Charger shot takes her off halfway up the ramp. Her body explodes into a puddle of purple, her angry spirit ejecting back to our spawn point. It's a clear enough message that I shouldn't follow her example, my body instinctively pressing back against cover as more ink streams splat against my cover _._

To emphasize my lack of escape, more sprays of ink start smacking into the concrete around me to paint the entire area with purple, offering me no chance of escape. Another shorter groan of frustration escapes me as I go for my earpiece in my left ear, tapping a button to turn in back on as I try to figure out what to do next. "That was reckless. I thought we agreed on both of us rushing together?" I say with a smirk before grimacing at the loud crackle of feedback from the link, my grimace staying as the feedback is followed by an angry voice. "You dived behind a wall, you coward! I had no cover so I had to keep moving forward! If you had kept moving forward too, we'd have pushed further up!" my ally shouts into the feed, my hand touching my face and coming away covered in purple ink. I growl to myself as I respond sarcastically, "Well, taking ink fire so early wasn't my idea. I'll wait till you get back and we'll stick with the plan. Just be sure to have something to get behind this ti-"

That's all I get out before a roller splats me against the cover, my mind so distracted that I didn't see him appear from the ink surrounding me. My inkling spirit ejects and is sucked back to the spawn point, an exhausted sigh escaping me as I shake off access ink from my eyes. _How did I not hear it coming!? Am I that stale!?_

My ally is nearby and turns towards me with a look of irritation, having barely moved a few steps from the spawn point. I ignore her and instead take out my squidphone to see the timer, frowning when I see the map display. _Time's almost up. We aren't winning this._ My ally does the same with her own squidphone but her conclusion is different as she rounds on me with angry eyes. "Come on, we still have time for one more try!" she shouts at me, moving swiftly towards me and pushing me towards the enemy's turf but as I'm shoved forward, I blurt loudly, "Why!? We won't make it far enough to win-"

"At least try!" she shouts in retort, giving me a rough shove forward before rushing past. All I can do is groan in annoyance as I follow her charge down the ramp while spraying green ink as we go. We barely get to the bottom of the ramp before a Splat Charger shot takes her off, followed by a quick second shot to my head before I can dive away. Two purple ink puddles mark our passing as were forced back to the spawn point and as we rise out of the spawn point together, rough hands shove me onto the inky ground. I land face first with a splat of ink, quickly rising up on all fours and spitting out the ink that entered my mouth before turning my head in her direction.

She doesn't look like she cares that she shoved me onto the ground and is about to charge back into the enemy's turf when the final whistle sounds to end the match, her response to throw down her weapons in disgust with a roar of frustration. I already know what's coming when she turns to me with a snarl on her face. "This is your fault! We had them and you just _had_ to get inked on the way up!" she shouts while pointing an accusing finger at me, my response to wipe my tongue with my fingers to get the taste of ink out of my mouth. I cough a few times before spluttering, "Yeah, that's...true...but...you getting splatted...on the way up...the right side ramp...didn't-"

She cuts me off by growling loudly through her teeth with a look of growing fury. "I don't want to hear it! We're going again! Get it together!" she shouts at me, picking up her Splat Dualies off the ground and storming off as I cough to clear out ink. Green globs splat against the ground as I wipe my mouth with a hand and move to a sitting position with a sigh, taking time to enjoy the small moment of solace. My head points upward to watch clouds drift by as I breathe deep breaths in frustration and despair. _Just another live ink drill...glad that's over._

Seconds is all I get before someone's shadow looms over me, a familiar face of brown skin and green eyes blocking my view with a look of neutrality. "That was reckless, even for you. What happened back there?" my opponent states in an even tone with warm yet cold eyes. I respond by looking straight ahead and answering groggily, "Not my plan...not entirely...it seemed like an alright plan until you inked me during it..."

She offers me a hand to help me up but I wave it away lazily, lolling my head back towards the clouds and deciding to lay down for a moment. She immediately starts analyzing my performance to my annoyance, stating with a stern tone, "Even a moving target is an easy target in the open. You know this. Did you forget everything we taught you?"

What little neutrality I have is bled away with her words, my face becoming an irritated scowl as I sit back up and focus on her. I hold her gaze only for a moment before looking to my left in angry defeat, giving her a grim nod in reply. There's concern in her voice as she proceeds with her review. "Is something wrong? You don't seem like yourself today. You were cowering behind that cover like when we first started training together and you aren't a new recruit anymore."

I close my eyes to think and exhale through my nose in frustration before answering, turning my head back to face her and forcing myself to meet her gaze. "I'm not sure...maybe there's something wrong and maybe there isn't...I hope nothing's wrong but I don't know...all I _do_ know is that we're going again-"

As soon as the words form, my opponent shakes her head no in response and commands, "No. We've already trained the maximum ten hours today. We can't go on and I won't break with our orders." Her tone is gentle but firm and I smile sadly to her in response, breaking her gaze and dipping my head forward with another sigh. I can't shake the glumness as I state, "Tell my ally that since she likely won't listen to me after this match...like every other time she's been defeated...I can tell her if you want since I did-"

A nod is the only answer I get followed by my opponent walking off without another word. I get a view of her long hair tentacles and the Splat Charger on her back as lay back down and try not to think about our defeat. _I'm getting sick of losing...but at least they're on our side...I guess..._

I try again to enjoy the momentary solace but another familiar face breaks the moment with their toothy grin, pale skin and magenta eyes. I give my opponent an amused look and a light chuckle before he can say with a grin, "Wow, I wasn't expecting that splat back there. I thought you'd dodge and shoot me point blank instead of being turned into wall art."

I respond with a grunt of affirmation mixed with embarrassment. _How can anyone stay mad with his aura of positivism?_ "Yeah...well…I have to give you a break sometimes, Whinter," I say jokingly, causing him to wince at me using his name. He gives me mock seriousness in his reply. "Hey, remember? We're supposed to use code-names during live ink drills," he blurts but I continue to smile at him anyway and sit up to show him I'm paying attention. "We aren't in a live ink drill right now," I respond sarcastically, Whinter grinning his toothy smile and laughing as he sits down in front of me with a thunk of gear and a splat of ink.

This close up, I'm reminded of how much taller he is to me but his grin makes him feel more approachable. "Alright, _Kosh_. You have a point," he says in jest, causing us both to share a laugh as we break the rules together. The humour is short lives because he pats me on the left shoulder, my body flinching slightly at the sudden contact. "You feeling OK? I'm not used to seeing you make those mistakes during a drill and I'm pretty sure Clementine noticed it too-"

I do the same as I did with Clementine and groan in annoyance, shaking my head and sighing mostly to myself as he removes his hand. _When I mess up, everyone notices. You think I'd know that by now._ Turning back to Whinter, I shrug my shoulders in reply to his look of concern and stretch my arms slightly from sudden discomfort before responding. "Well…to be honest…" I start to say as I put a hand to my shoulder, moving it around a few times to test the tenderness. _I'm definitely feeling the 10 hours of training now._

"To be honest?" Whinter persists, my hand leaving my shoulder as I give him a grunt of annoyance and try to put my thoughts into words. I can't help but hear the venom in my voice when I state to him, "Why is Six partnered with me again!? Can't we just swap partners or something!? She's always so aggressive with me and always rushes ahead without a plan! And we both know its just with me and not the others! Every time I'm teamed with her, we fail miserably yet she persists with her hardheaded assaults! Have you ever seen her yell at someone during a drill when it _isn't_ me!?"

I let out a groan of frustration as Whinter's hand moves back to my shoulder, my body flinching again but not as bad as before. _We've had this talk before! The answers are always the same!_ Before I can turn my frustration into anger, Whinter chuckles lightly, surprising me with his odd reaction and making me look at him demanding an explanation. "From what I've seen? Scurry just doesn't take defeat well. Clementine has similar tantrums when she was called a burden on the team until she gained more field experience. Scurry just needs more experience in the field." he explains in an even tone but I laugh at the ridiculousness of the notion, retorting loudly with, "You really expect her to magically change into a new inkling!? Really!?"

"No, not magically. It's more a choice under the right conditions," Whinter retorts calmly with a grin, my head shaking as I groan again at the ridiculousness. _The right conditions!? We've been at this for 3 months!_ "Elaborate on the 'right conditions'! What do I need to do to make her less of an angry inkling girl!?" I blurt to him, Whinter opening his mouth to respond but closing it for some reason. I notice the same thing within seconds, someone hobbling towards us in my peripheral vision and my head turning to the right to get a good look at who it is. My face moves to surprise as we both rise to our feet in unison and stand at attention, Cap'n Cuttlefish hobbling towards us with a purpose to his stride. _He doesn't come out to our drills unless it's important._ When he finally hobbles close enough, he greets us in an old voice filled with amusement and command. "Having a good sit after a day of inking each other? Please, don't get up. The way you young inklings run about is tiring just to watch."

Neither of us sits down as we move to a resting posture to wait for the Cap'n to speak, the Cap'n chuckling at our antics as he focuses on Whinter. "Ah, Whinter. I remember when I first met you. You didn't say much then either until I mentioned the Squid Sisters," he states with amusement, Whinter chuckling nervously from my left while I stand in silence. _This was before my time._ "Yeah, memories...but you still haven't told us why you're here, Cap'n," Whinter states clearly, the Cap's expression moving from friendly to grim acceptance as he changes back into a commanding figure. "I need the Agents to help me with an important matter...something you aren't going to like...I need to know that you'll do as I instruct regardless of what it is."

Both of us respond with affirmation without thinking while trying to hide our growing excitement, the Cap'n nodding with a grim smile at our response. "Good. Listen closely. This mission is top secret and for Agent's ears only," he begins, our faces lighting up further at the words. _A top-secret mission for us? Sounds like something to break up the monotony._ I straighten my posture further in excitement and judging by the widening grin on Whinter's face from a glance, he's as on-board with this as I am.

The mission briefing we receive soon after dampens our enthusiasm significantly, my posture relaxing a fraction as I hear what he has to say. "I need you to escort Sheldon as he delivers Octavio in his prison via his vehicle to a checkpoint in the octarian territories. He will be picked up by octarian leadership and released into their custody. Once this is done, you will evacuate the area immediately. Is this understood?"

His words lack any sort of emotion but I'm stunned by the briefing, unable to speak and my face visibly shocked by the demand. Looking over at Whinter, he shares my reaction exactly. My mind starts racing with the implications of our mission, anger starting to form swiftly from the outrage. _Free Octavio!? He nearly killed Whinter and Clementine, tried to invade Inkopolis, stole the Great Zapfish twice, kidnapped and brainwashed Callie, and wants to splat inklings everywhere!_... _And we're just letting him go back to his own territory!?-_

Whinter responds first with resignation, affirming glumly as I quickly say the same with similar glumness. It became clear to me that we had already decided and the Cap'n sighs to us both before giving us a sad smile. "I know I'm asking much of the Splatoon. Octavio has done such terrible things and deserves harsher punishment then simple imprisonment but if we're to maintain a truce between inklings and octarians, he must be returned to them-"

Whinter interrupts the Cap'n, something he never does, by stating boldly, "The girls stay here." My head slowly turns towards Whinter with surprise at his sudden outburst, both me and the Cap'n focusing on him. All the Cap'n can reply with is a confused "what" as Whinter clears his throat and clarifies his claim. "We're leaving Marie, Callie, Clementine, and Scurry here. Kosh and I will handle this," Whinter states evenly and with conviction, surprise becoming mixed with panic on my face at his claim and his calmness. _Just Whinter, Sheldon, and I escorting the most dangerous Octarian in inkling history...by ourselves!? Sounds dangerous and stupid!-_

"Leave them on call in case things go bad," I hear myself interjecting, Whinter now taking his turn to be surprised at my sudden outburst. Whinter takes the outburst in good humour and responds with a toothy grin that's more for show then happiness. "I was getting to that but I'm glad to see we're on the same page. Hi, five!" he exclaims, causing me to shake my head with an amused groan and a broad smile as I slap his hand quickly.

The Cap'n coughs slightly from my right, both of us losing our amusement and standing back to attention as the Cap'n states, "You leave tomorrow. Get what rest you can and check your gear. Sheldon will prepare Octavio for transport and I suspect that the octarians will try to free him prematurely in transit. You're to prevent that from happening but remember, this is not a combat mission. Keep incidents to a minimum if you can." The Cap'n groans slightly as he dismisses us and turns to hobble away, likely not hearing the 'yes Cap'n' we both say.

Whinter and I are left standing in the green ink and after a few seconds, I decided to take a seat just to make my body do something to cope with the shock. Whinter sits down next to me a few seconds later, likely just as shocked by our current assignment as I am. No words are spoken, each of us alone with our thoughts before I finally turn my head to look at him and try to break the tension with a forced smile. His bright smile and sunny disposition are replaced with a grim expression and hollow eyes staring straight ahead. "Well, so much for ink drills," I say to him grimly without meaning to, my face trying to keep the fake smile despite the dark mood but eventually succumbing to despair.

He doesn't laugh and I don't either.


	2. DIFFERENCES

**CHAPTER II: DIFFERENCES**

* * *

We walk out of the checkpoint into Octo Canyon silent and brooding on the way home. I keep leaning towards abandoning the mission and telling the Cap'n that I don't want any part of this operation but my sense of duty compelled me. It's difficult keeping my anger in check, my teeth clenched in my mouth and a frown displayed harshly on my face. Dangerous thoughts of murdering the evil octoling start to surface, familiar thoughts that had occurred to me in the past but that I never acted on. _I would betray my duty to splat that war criminal...but no one would thank me for it.  
_

Whinter tries to break up the bad mood halfway home but is only able to stutter gibberish that I don't understand. However, his attempt helps me relax enough to exhale and relax my jaw. "I get what you're trying to do with your...convincing...Whinter but we'll save it till we get home," I state calmly with a hint of agitation, not bothering to look at him as I continue walking the dirt street. My teeth clench slightly in annoyance when he tries to break the bad mood again with more gibberish, my left hand raising as I cut him off swiftly and stop his gibberish. "I said let's get back to the house first. We need to talk about this with the others and preferably, over good food and drink," I say as calmly as possible, exhaling again to try and bleed off more agitation.

We walk a few more steps in blessed silence but when I do decide to look over, Whinter's eyes are lit up with a mood that's no longer dark. "Does that mean you're cooking tonight!?" he blurts far too excited for my liking, my head stiffly nodding as I let out another sigh. "Dude, fresh!" he exclaims when he sees my nod and he goes for another hi-five, a smile forming on my face despite my mood as I turn around and slap his hand in response. "You know I don't like to cook," I retort grimly, Whinter's face showing mock surprise but not losing its excitement. "But you're so good at it! I don't know why you don't like what you're good at!"

I turn back around and start walking again in reply, trying to use this newest distraction to forget about my previous brooding. My efforts are in vain, however, because the grim mood returns easily but I do my best to keep it out of my voice. "I was thinking of making something simple. Couple types of sushi, some noodles, maybe some rice…" I start to say aloud but I stop myself mid-flow, remembering that Whinter is probably daydreaming right about now. Sure enough, one glance back and he isn't fully paying attention to where we're going or me at all.

Another thought occurs to me as we continue to walk and my right hand gets my squidphone out. My fingers are already browsing through my contacts even before the display is visible, my thumb swiping the list until it's on Scurry's name as I press dial without looking at it. I'm expecting no response when I put my phone to my ear but the phone answers after a few rings. "Yeah?" she says in an irritated tone, the unusual nature of her answer stopping any retort I had lined up. _Why did she pick up? She usually ignores my calls._

"I'm cooking tonight. Do we have any-" I start to say but Scurry quickly interrupts me before I can continue. "You're what? I thought you hated cooking," she replies with confusion and I suppress a snarl at having the same topic repeated, frowning instead of vocalizing my irritation. "I'm…cooking tonight…" I say as slowly and calmly as I can, the words tasting bitter and followed by dead air for a few seconds. "OK…that's…what do you want?" she states in mild irritation that mirrored my own and I quickly get my thoughts out, wanting this conversation to end swiftly. "Is there any fish left in the fridge or did we eat it all?" I ask forcefully, a few more seconds of silence following my question before I get an answer. Oddly, her answer is not as hostile this time. "The fish is already gone. We probably used it for today's lunch."

I exhale through my nose in further irritation, already knowing where we had to go to get what we needed but dreading the idea. "I guess Whinter and I need to stop by the city before we come home," I say with reluctance, the words just as bitter but with my irritation hidden for now. "Hey, bring us back something?" Scurry quickly blurts in a tone that's almost friendly, catching me off guard for a moment. "Yeah...sure...what do you want us to bring back?" I say with as much neutrality as I can muster. What follows is a barrage of information as Scurry puts the phone on speaker, Marie calmly saying in the background, "Any type of tea will do but I prefer-"

"Red Salmon Onigiri!" Callie cuts in loudly but before she can shout more, Clementine chimes in and interrupts her. "Have fun in the city, Whinter!" Clementine shouts, Whinter shouting "OK" over my left shoulder and making my head tilt to the right to avoid the noise. "Hey, one at a time!" Scurry shouts through the phone but the barrage of information continues unabated despite her protest. All I can do is listen carefully as information washes over me, four inklings speaking at once on what they want from the city. A mental list starts to form in my head as I close my eyes. _Milk tea, lemon tea, rice, teriyaki beef, red salmon…_

A hand shakes me by the left shoulder and my eyes snap open as my head whips to my left in surprise. Whinter grins at me as usual as he whispers, "You OK? You stopped walking for a second." It takes me a few seconds to realize that I'm standing still and I give him a brief nod while moving to the side of the street to take a seat on the ground. He stands in front of me as the voices from the phone eventually subside enough for me to respond to Whinter. "Yeah, just making a mental list...you know how it is..." I whisper as I focus back on the squidphone conversation, waiting a few seconds before replying. "So let me get this straight..." I state as I start to repeat back a rough summary of what I heard, getting confirmations from each squid that spoke. I finish up the conversation with, "Alright, we'll be back in an hour or more. Some of this stuff might be outta stock so I'll text you if we need more info."

General assent is followed by goodbyes as the line goes dead and I pocket my squidphone, getting up off the ground and turning back towards the checkpoint. Whinter is walking to my left again and comments, "Jeez, that's a lot of things to remember. Do we even have the cash to get all that?"

"Yes. I always save enough cash to do things like this. Maybe if you didn't spend it all on gear…" I retort with a grin as I look at Whinter who's holding up his hands in surrender before I can say more. He blurts out while pointing with his right hand towards the checkpoint, "Alright, alright. Point taken, after you." I don't waste any time with further jibes, diving headfirst into the checkpoint and transforming into a squid to travel through the metal pipes. Strange emotions are at work as I travel through the pipes at high speed, blotting out some of my frustration with apprehension and dread. _How long has it been since I saw Inkopolis? A month? 2 months?_

 _I don't want to remember._

* * *

I rise out of the checkpoint into Inkopolis Square, shaking our heads to get excess ink off as the noise of the city blares in at me. Though I'm on a mission, I waste time looking down at the cyan ink on the floor before it's sucked back into the checkpoint. _I haven't seen that ink colour for as long...I don't like that colour..._ I waste further time taking in the sights, brushing a hand idly through my short and docile hair tentacles as I look around. The streets feel as unknown and different as the squids who are walking around but I quickly realize that everything is the same as the last time I was in Inkopolis. The same billboards are on multiple surfaces advertising gear and weapons with only slight variations to the models. The same street posters were advertising various concerts and events and a smile forms on my face each time I see a poster of the Squid Sisters. _They look so different in their stage outfits. Not many things change in Inkopolis...at least, on the surface._

I eventually break my spell of idling and look to my left, seeing Whinter in a similar spell and nudging him on the right shoulder with a hand. When he turns to look at me, I motion with my head for us to start walking, taking off towards our destination and not bothering to see if he's following. We don't get far before squids immediately recognize Whinter by his style of clothing and his grinning face taking in the sights as we walk. _Splat Jam and Vitamin Ink formed a cult following from what I remember...Whinter is practically a celebrity_.

A few whispers of excitement follow us down the streets as we head for the Fresh Emporium, the old grocery store I frequent when I come to Inkopolis. The fact that it's still there proved my earlier thought of Inkopolis not changing too quickly. "Wow, I wasn't expecting so many people to know who I was," Whinter whispers to me before looking quickly over his left shoulder again at the small crowd following us. I look so my left with a grin on my face as I say, "Why not bask in the fame for once? You never try to blend in anyways with your outfit-"

"Whoa! I don't want to overdo it! I'm just good with a Roller, I don't even lead the team!" he blurts a little too loudly but my grin stays on my face as I entertain the idea and shake my head. _Team leader Whinter?...Clementine would never allow that._ "If only they saw you in training-" I start to say as I turn my head forward again, catching his face moving to embarrassment as he quickly blurts to me, "Hey, let's not go there, Splattershot boy." We both let out a light laugh, enjoying the usual banter between us as we get closer to our destination, glass doors sliding open as we step on the doormat. I point my left thumb at the group of inklings following us still and as soon as he looks where I'm pointing, further murmurs arise the crowd. I can't help but roll my eyes and groan to myself at the display as I head for the first aisle of the store.

 _I don't really mind the fans but we're here for a reason.  
_

* * *

The Fresh Emporium is the same as the city outside, still holding everything a growing squid needs to survive in the same number of aisles. Even the contents of each shelf are the same and as I approach the first items on the shelf, I realize with sadness that the food selection is the same and in the same places the as last time I was here. _Does anything change in Inkopolis?_

The main benefit of unchanging, however, is that my memory of this place is still relevant so I know exactly where everything I need is. I swiftly start travelling the aisles of food, alone because I asked Whinter to handle the fan mobs as I worked. My hands dump ingredients into my shopping cart with professional precision as I push the cart at a brisk pace, moving from aisle to aisle at a jog. I didn't want to wait for Whinter to finish signing autographs or posing for cameras at the front and hoped that I could finish up without him. _Good thing I already know what Clementine wants from the city or Whinter would be in deep trouble._

The ingredients and items pass into the cart at a blur, my hands working rapidly to dump fresh produce into bags and boxes of drink and food into the cart at a rapid pace. My head finally nods with a smile after a few minutes of rushing through the final aisle because I had what we needed, the pile of varying foods starting to overflow out of the cart. The cart is pushed slowly now to the checkout, a moderate line forming as the cashiers try to get through the mess of squids buying at this time. But after waiting a few more minutes, I reach the cashier and start unloading the cart so I can reload it with checked out groceries. My head nods to the pink haired squid who keeps pace with me and scans items rapidly for me to bag and place in the cart. The total isn't as bad as I initially thought and with a quick swipe of my squidphone on the scanner, payment is transferred and I roll the cart towards the door. _  
_

Whinter somehow sees me approaching the main doors even as he's talking to fans and comes over to help carry the ingredients out of the basket. We split the amount in half and my body starts wheeling the cart towards an area to put it away when he gripes, "Why am I carrying most of the bags? Isn't this your cooking project?"

My head shakes to emphasize my hair tentacles but I try to explain just in case he didn't understand my gesture. "You know I don't have the hair tentacles to carry any extra bags and besides, I'm still carrying at least half the bags," I retort knowingly, my arms lifting outwards to show him both of my arms covered in bags. Soon, I find myself chuckling as we make our way back to the checkpoint, both of us now sharing more banter about nothing in particular as we walk.

We make it halfway when a familiar voice stops me in my tracks. "Kosh?" I hear a gentle voice say from behind me, my feet stopping and my mind recoiling from the situation. _No... that couldn't be...not here...not now..._ The moment of denial doesn't last as I slowly shake my head and sigh, turning around slowly to see someone standing nearby that I wasn't expecting, someone with long pink hair tentacles tied elegantly behind her and a kimono of black with pink flowers. _Someone I don't want to see._

We stare at each other for long seconds and I have no idea what she's thinking. It takes me longer to form a response, seconds dragging on as we stare each other down. _She looks the same too...nothing changes in Inkopolis..._ "Hello, Sawa. Listen, I don't have-" I try to blurt but she cuts me off before I can say more. "Where have you been? You didn't call back and your old number's offline," she blurts, my face looking away for a moment as I ponder her words. _She's still sharp-minded and right to the point. Gotta think faster than she can._

I try to force a smile but all I can manage is a neutral expression followed by neutral words. "I didn't have time to tell you nor do I have time now. Look, I'll call you when I can. Is your number the same?" I state, everything around me blurring away as I focus on her alone. "Yes...but-" she starts to say but I cut her off by turning around and heading for the checkpoint swiftly. I didn't want to stick around but before I can take a few steps, a hand grabs my right shoulder and holds me in place. My head slightly turns towards first the hand then the squid connected to it, a low growl of frustration coming from my throat as I state, "Seriously, I'll call you when I can but I really need to get this food home before it spoils."

"Promise me..." she implores, stopping my further retorts as my face moves from neutral to surprised. More long seconds pass as I try to form a reply but all I can respond with is closing my mouth and staring at her for further confirmation. "Promise me you'll call," she states again calmly, tugging my shoulder slightly in emphasis. My head turns back forward as I stand there in silence for a few more seconds, pondering what to do but settling on removing her hand gently from my shoulder. I turn around slowly and offer my right hand to her which she places her squidphone into, my fingers working quickly to tap the screen. I update my information on her contacts list and even take a new picture, reversing the phone and faking a smile as the phone clicks. _She won't just accept things blindly. I gotta make this look convincing._

I move to stand to her right, showing her my new contact on her list and demonstrating a test call that makes my squidphone ring Ink Me Up for a few seconds before hanging it up. "I won't be able to pick up often..." I say timidly as I offer the phone back but she gently takes the phone and nods. "Thank you," she swiftly responds as she turns around and walks away without another word.

I give a sigh of relief as the confrontation ends, my body already moving back to Whinter and tapping him a few times on the shoulder for him to follow. He was busy talking with fans again and glances at me as I point towards the checkpoint with my chin, Whinter making a show of walking backwards to the checkpoint and waving to his fans. Before entering first, he bows from the waist to them and backflips into the checkpoint, his fans yelling in adoration as he as I shake my head ruefully and fall into the checkpoint less theatrically.

 _Showoff. So much for not overdoing it._


	3. WORK

**WORK IN PROGRESS BEYOND THIS POINT!**


	4. Memories

**Chapter III: Memories**

* * *

Getting all of the food to the table intact is its own endeavour because Agent discipline doesn't carry over to civilian status. I'm able to prevent some attempts at sampling the food but I'm not entirely sure what food is sampled secretly. Whinter does most of the lifting and looks a little flustered at having the same task we usually give him when he works with us. "Again, why am I the one doing all of the heavy liftings?" he groans while handling multiple smaller plates of food and I give him a sarcastic smile, still unsure why he's complaining so much when my hands are moving larger plates. "I thought you like carrying the team, Whinter," I comment jokingly, everyone laughing at the joke and a brief chuckle escaping Scurry for a second before she composes herself.

When all of the food finally makes it to the table, I take a few pictures with my squidphone and realize that it doesn't really matter if the food was sampled. Baked fish, plated sushi, cooked rice, noodle dishes, and tea kettles now take up the entire tablespace to the point where we didn't have room for empty plates for ourselves. "How much did this cost again?" Marie asks from her seat across the table, my head snapping up to look at her in surprise while I put away my squidphone. _It's always like this with her...always trying to pay me back when I spend heavily on the team._ "I'll send you the bill," I say sarcastically, her face frowning at my answer as she always does. _Not once have I done that._

Today is different because she continues to stare me down and eventually, I crack under the scrutiny with a sigh and toss her the receipt. Her hand snatches the paper out of the air with minimal effort. "This is my treats so you don't have to pay me back," I state but Marie shakes her head before saying with a smile, "We'll find a way to pay you back. You know we don't like to leave our fans unappreciated." I chuckle a little at her comment, looking down in embarrassment. _Yeah, I'm still a fan like all of the squids in Inkopolis. Getting to know the unedited Squid Sisters didn't change that._

When I look up, everyone is staring at me for the signal to eat and I give them a thumbs up with a grin, watching in grim amusement as the scene descends into madness. Marie never takes part in the madness thankfully, always using her chopsticks to gently grab items off plates and place them on her own before eating with refinement and grace. Callie is always the polar opposite of her cousin, using both hands and hair tentacles to shove food directly into her mouth. I spend a few seconds watching Callie in wonder, mesmerized that anyone can inhale that much food and keep a nice figure. I shake my head to break the spell and look at Whinter and Clementine who are sharing a plate, taking turns feeding themselves and each other.

 _It's no secret in the room that they're dating. However, Whinter is a member of another team while Clementine is the captain of her own team, team Vitamin Ink. I'm still not sure if anyone cares at all about that. Their teams certainly don't._ "Quit gawking and eat up," someone remarks from my left, a low sigh escaping me as I turn back to Scurry who always insists on feeding me despite my protests. She commands me to open my mouth which I obey out of habit to accept the sushi she has in her chopsticks. The air rushes into the hole where my left fang used to be, a physical reminder of its absence. _Why am I thinking of that now? I normally ignore the sensation._

"How come you never got an implant for that? It's not that expensive." I close my mouth on the sushi and chew, looking at Scurry curiously. _So I'm not the only one thinking that. Wait, why is she thinking about that?_ I chew my sushi quickly and swallow it before answering. "We've been over this a few times but let me remind you again. It's a part of my history so I'm not going to get the implant and that's final." I give her a fake smile and she sighs, shaking her head while grabbing more sushi off the plate in her lap. My smile fades as soon as she offers me more sushi. _Right...that doesn't work on her..._

"So getting punched in the face by Sawa for a bad advance is what you want to remember?" she remarks with some venom, my face souring at the mention of the cause even as I open my mouth to chew and swallow the sushi. _Oh...is that how we want to play?_ "If it makes you get off my back, yes. I need a physical reminder of my mistakes at times." At the mention of reminders, my memory tries to dig up the event in detail but I halt the process before it goes too far. _I don't want to remember that. I won't allow it._

"Do you really need to be missing a tooth to remember that?" Scurry says in a gentler tone and I assume she's trying to lighten the mood at the sight of my frowning face. I try to smile genuinely at her attempt but my face becomes a blank stare instead. "I'd forget otherwise and besides, didn't you want to do exactly that to me a while ago?" That remark does add a smile to my face because of the irony but her response is not what I expect. "That's dumb and you know it," Scurry gloats as she lifts another sushi towards me, any comeback I have lined up dying with the ridiculousness of the conversation. _Are we really borderline arguing about this? Maybe_ _I'm still not over what happened after months of time trying to forget._

I'm waiting for another command for a few seconds but it doesn't come, Scurry lightly putting down the sushi on her plate before poking me in the side with an elbow. "Oh, lighten up. You make it sound like she completely rejected you. Didn't she just ask for your number earlier?" _She knows the answer already._ When I don't answer and continue to stare at her blankly, her face becomes an expression of concern. "Just talk to her. Maybe you'll be less moody if you talk to her about it." The claim confuses me further as I turn away from her and look across the room at the other squids happily enjoying their meal. _Moody?...Yeah, I guess she's right. Maybe this mission is unbalancing me emotionally or did she mean that-_

A finger poking my cheek is followed by, "Hey! Stop that! Keep it here in this room!" _Can't I just think for a second?_ "No. Now's not the time to think. You can brood all you want after dinner and our talk about the mission. Open." she retorts, another sigh escaping my mouth as I do as instructed. _Was this really what inklings thought of as relaxing? Maybe when they aren't force fed-_

I suppress the urge to shake my head at the coming thoughts, trying to resist the urge to analyze. _Focus. Keep it in the room._ I instantly regret the decision of focusing because the first thoughts that spring to my head are that Scurry is not be wearing a sports bra, a dark thought that resurfaces like a cloud of deviance. _Maybe that's why I'm drudging up my missing tooth and bad memories. My brain's attempting to blot out another set of memories._ My mouth moves into a grimace as curiosity takes hold and I find myself leaning in close to her ear and whisper as low as I'm able. "Why aren't you wearing a bra?" I whisper, her response a light shove and a smirk before saying to me casually, "Jeez, here I thought I could trust you not to look. Guess I can't run around the house like that anymore."

"Please don't. We live with other inklings after all," I continue to whisper but before she can respond, Callie chimes in from her spot across from us with a volume in her voice that causes me to jump slightly in surprise. "Oh, lighten up, you two!...oh, these are really good...you look like this is a funeral instead of a feast! C'mon, put a smile on!" she shouts at us, other squids nodding their heads in agreement. As hard as I try to go back to happy thoughts as instructed, curiosity gets the better of me again. "You aren't sleeping like that, are you?" I say to Scurry with a neutral expression that turns to a look of surprise, both of our faces matching expressions at the awkward question. _Where did that come from? We don't even share the same bed so why did I ask that? Wait, why am I thinking that?_ The last question is repeated by Scurry aloud and I shake my head slightly, excusing myself to the bathroom. As a reward for avoiding the situation, I catch Whinter coughing his lemon tea out of his mouth in response to a remark from Clementine.

 _Wow, Clementine. That was a low blow. It's not nice to verbally attack an inkling's ability to pass ink._

* * *

I open and enter the bathroom rapidly, closing the door behind me and moving to sit on the toilet. My head goes into my hands in frustration as my mind starts to think too quickly to be coherent. _Damn my memory! I have to forget! Anything to get the image of Scurry's chest out of my head!_ The thoughts conjured images that I'm not comfortable with, images of my hands-

I quickly throttle the line of thought before it can form, shaking my head vigorously and sitting up to pull out my squidphone. It takes me seconds to find Sawa's number and I groan at my own actions. _Yeah, real romantic calling her from the bathroom...but so long as I don't tell her, it's not a big deal._ My finger doesn't press dial immediately as I start having second thoughts but eventually, I follow through with the call. It rings twice and she responds with a cautious hello. _She already knows who it is._ It takes me a few seconds to answer, still wondering why I called her. "I said I'd call you when I can. I just finished making dinner for my roommates so I have time now." _I don't think she expected my call judging from her tone. I didn't expect to call either._ "Is this a bad time?"

"No, of course not. It's just...unexpected," she says with less confidence than before. My mind races for what to say next. _What do I even say? What can I say?_ "I need to say something..." I finally say timidly, her voice going from balanced and unsure to agitated and hostile in a heartbeat as she demands an explanation. _She's getting mad...I understand that...I think..._ Collecting myself before continuing, I reply with sternness, "I made a big mistake a few months ago. I just wanted to call you to say I'm sorry. I know I said sorry before but I'm saying it again. You weren't ready to go forward as...us...and I wanted too much at once. I really am sorry." _I've already said this before._ She didn't believe me then and doesn't believe me now, a tone of anger in her voice as she shouts back, "So you spent the last 3 months coming up with that!? Just coming out of the ink back into my life!?" My answer is immediate and harsher than I wanted, clarity lending its harshness to my statement. "No, I called to say goodbye."

"What do you mean goodbye!? Don't you mean goodbye again!?" she shouts with a hint of sadness behind her anger. Another immediate answer follows, clearer now that I'd made up my mind. "We live in two separate lives now and I haven't found a way to bridge the gap. For the past 3 months, I looked for a way for us to start over but there isn't one. I can't turn my back on my team now and I can't come back to Inkopolis. I don't really belong there." _There's plenty of information I'm leaving out for her own protection._ Painful seconds of waiting and thinking follow as counter thoughts started to argue with me, my body tensing at the internal war. _What are you doing!? You're just dumping her like that!? Why not try to start over!? There has to be a way-_ "I guess this really is goodbye..." she finally says, her voice now sad as if realizing I'm serious. My voice is similarly sad as I respond, "Yeah...I'm afraid so..."

 _ **Click**_

 _I'm grateful that she cut the line and she'll never know how thankful._ I sit there knowing that there's plenty more to say but I couldn't bring myself to keep going with the conversation. Impossibly, I know that we both never wanted to admit that it was over and that she was waiting for me to make a choice, a choice I finally made in the worst possible way. _It still hurts inside...but just another memory to try and ignore. I have no time to think about that now._ My mind now clearer, I put my squidphone away and stand gently up, sighing to myself in minor relief before opening the bathroom door.

Scurry is sitting against the wall to my left, her knees close to her chest and face on her knees. "The bathrooms free now," I say casually but she doesn't respond and my hand is on her hair tentacles before I can stop myself, ruffling the tentacles a bit but eliciting no response. _She always gets angry when I touch her hair tentacles. Something's wrong._ My body quickly sits down next to her with a thump and when she finally looks at me, her eyes are filled with cyan tears streaming down a sad face. _This feels...familiar...I haven't seen her like this...since-_

I crush any outside thoughts as I start to rub her tears away with my right hand as best I can, feeling the mild sting of ink singing my skin. "It's alright...It'll be okay..." I say with little confidence, croaking the words out through a mix of emotions that I don't have under control. _Something is stirring inside me as well and I don't know what it was._

"What if you don't come back? What if you get splatted for good out there?" she chokes out finally, a slight sigh of relief escaping me that she decided to talk about it. _I guess the reality of the situation just kicked in for her. At least it's something I can understand...but someone's getting an ear full for giving her the information early._ I give her a weak smile before saying, "Don't worry about us so much. Its three of us and everyone will be kept in the loop. We're Agents and we're trained for these types of missions." My own sadness keeps rising and I try to make sense of it even as Scurry looks at me in disbelief of my words. _Am I scared to get splatted for good?_ "C'mon, Sis. Let's go see how the others are doing..." I say but when the words come out, I'm not sure what compelled me to use her nickname. _I never call her that now._

Calling her that, however, breaks the dam of memories that I was trying to keep at bay. The flood of memories is a torrent of the forgotten, memories of a lost sibling that I had suppressed more than any others. My gut wrenches and my vision blurs slightly as my hand goes to my head to try and soothe nausea I start to feel. _I remember his voice, the tears I shed,_ _his eyes staring up at me as vital inks leave his body from severed limbs_ -

 _"Don't cry, little brother. You get my number now. You gotta do your part now for them. All of them. Live...for me...please..."_

 _"Live...for me...please..."_

"That's today...isn't it..." I manage to stutter as tears start to flow down my face, my face cringing as the sadness becomes overwhelming. All Scurry can manage is a stiff nod, mirroring my tears as she sobs lightly. _Now I understand why I'm sad._ My arms move around her in a hug and she returns the embrace, both of us crying and trying not to sob but failing miserably. I just brush her hair tentacles gently as tears fall down my face, her sobs finally filling my ears as she loses control and my own sobs mimicking hers a few seconds later. _How long has it been since we lost him? How long have I forgotten?_

 _Two years...Two years..._


	5. Brother's Bond

**Chapter IV: Brother's Bond  
**

* * *

"Octarians on the ledge!" Five shouts from my left as several octotroopers open fire from the ledge above us. I hear enough of his orders to do as I'm told but the noise of ink guns spraying soon blocks out his voice. Both of us now have our Splattershots in hand, splatting most of the ambushing octarians within view with green ink but for every octarian we splat, another two come out of the ink at other angles. Five turns my body and points at something, shouting something I can barely hear and hustling in the direction he pointed. As I start to hustle backwards across the open ground with him to cover our backs, it becomes clear that the area around us is now inked purple with octotroopers rising from every surface they could. I couldn't begin to understand how they coated the area without us noticing before. _This is crazy! I'm not ready for this!_

"Six, we can't stay here! We gotta keep moving!" Five shouts while roughly pulling me onward by the collar. My Splattershot is spraying desperately at the stream of octos trying to splat us from behind as I start to panic from the sprays hissing against our ink shields. "Don't be scared, Six! I'm here! We're getting out of this so just keep moving!" he shouts but with all the noise of ink sprays and hits, I hear only snippets of what's said.

I catch him shouting something else, turning my head slightly to regard him when he shoves me aside and dives into the ink nearby. A stream of ink nearly hits me in the head as I go down, the ink glancing off my ink shield and shorting it out with a loud alarm. A hand grabs me by the shoulder and puts me roughly on my feet, a voice shouting at me to keep moving forward as I try to remember my training or anything that might help me focus. All of my efforts do nothing to stem the tide of bad thoughts that keep plaguing my mind with each step. _It was a trap! The octarians laid a trap and we walked right into it! They're all around us! We aren't going to make it out of here!_

Panic threatens to overwhelm me and finally does when I trip over something, my body falling backwards and impacting the green ink on the ground. I'm wondering where Five is when he moves into my field of view and grabs the front of my jacket, sliding me across the ink in a random direction as a loud popping noise sounds from the direction I came from. My eyes close in shock and when I finally stop moving, I roll onto my side and curl into a ball out of fear, tears of green ink starting to form in my eyes. _There aren't any lives in the checkpoint! We were stupid to accept octarian conditions!_

A shadow descends over me and instinct makes me turn my Splattershot on in. Five redirects the gun with his hand as I pull the trigger, green ink flying towards octarian lines. Like a beacon of courage, he continues to fire his Splattershot one-handed while his other hand reaches for me. I'm numb with shock when he grabs me by the shoulder again and lifts me onto my feet, my body shaking from head to toe as he shouts, "C'mon, Six! We're almost there! Just a few more steps!" I hear enough of his shout to turn around slightly, realizing that the checkpoint is close by as I turn back around to fire at the octarians behind us. Tears of joy and fear run down my face as we keep moving, my Splattershot now firing with more confidence at the idea of escape. _We're going to make it!_

Five stops moving and turns me around while raising his weapon, my ink gun mimicking his action as more octarians come out of the purple ink in front of the checkpoint. They weren't troopers or anything similar, resembling inklings but with dark hair of octopus limbs, all of them wearing black armour and goggles with glowing red lenses. They have a variety of weapons similar to ours and even through the fear, I know what they are from training. _Octolings. Black Octolings. Four of them._ The ink shots stop as every octarian in the area surrounds us, a parameter of ink guns pointing inwards with our primary exit now blocked by the octolings. I look up at Five on my right, his face focused and Splattershot aimed at these new threats and all I can do is follow his example with hands trembling.

One of the black octolings steps out of line, a Splat Charger held at the ready and a grim expression on her face. "You are surrounded and outnumbered, Agents. Down arms and surrender and we will spare you. Refuse and we will splat you where you stand," she commands in a voice that offers no mercy. My arms are shaking now, the tremors travelling from my hands up my arms. _I'll follow Fives orders no matter which he gives but I'm still terrified. I never thought I'd come face to face with the octarian's elite. Is this it? Is this the end of our lives?_

"You have five seconds to comply. One..." the octoling starts counting, her comrades aiming their weapons in unison at us along and signalling every octarian present to do the same. Ink guns click loudly as safeties are disengaged but Five doesn't move, still aiming his Splattershot. "Two..." she says commandingly and I look over at Five nervously. He still doesn't move, my trembling arms reaching my body and shaking my aim as I try to sight in again. "Three..." she counts and my head snaps back to Five who smiles as he pulls me close with his left arm and displays his right hand, one now glowing green as he slams it palm down onto the ground.

"Splashdown! Get back!" the octoling shouts but I can tell it's too late. The octarians are too close in an attempt to prevent our escape as a wave of green ink explodes outwards, splatting them in an instant. I laugh hysterically, the sound lost to the noise of rushing ink as the path is cleared but when the ink settles, my laugh dies in my throat as one octoling is left standing with her weapon aimed. The leader with the Splat Charger stands in the same spot, a black ink shield recharging as she remains sighted in. _She's already sighted in and at such a close range, she won't miss._ The wicked grin on her face says that she knows my thought. "Nice moves," the octoling says in a rich voice filled with menace, releasing the trigger of her weapon and sending out a spray of high-pressure ink straight towards me.

Time slows as I freeze in terror, the purple ink travelling insanely fast and my limbs unable to move out of fear. Five doesn't have enough time to shield me from the ink as it impacts my ink shield, the shield popping to an angry red. Five rapidly picks up his Splattershot off the ground with his right hand and steps in front of me, sending out a steady spray of green ink that the octoling's black ink shield absorbs. She doesn't stick around, diving into the ink nearby as Five follows her swimming path with the ink spray until his ink tank is empty. I can't fully comprehend what's going on as he tosses the weapon down again and reaches into his front pouch to pull out an emergency ink syringe, his hand quickly removing the safety cap as he injects himself to replenish the spent ink from his body.

I only catch up to the now when Five starts unstrapping his ink tank from his jacket and turns to unhook my tank, tossing my weapon aside as he picks me up with both arms. My arms wrap around his neck to hang onto him like a lost child. _He's only 2 years older than me. Why isn't he paralyzed like I am?_ I'm grateful that he isn't as he starts running towards the checkpoint, his ink shield shattering from the purple ink underfoot. A loud hiss breaking the silence makes my eyes widen as I recognize the sound. _The octoling! She's firing again!_ A splat of ink nearby nearly hits Five in the leg. "Five! She's shooting at us! Get down!" I shout at him but he isn't listening, continuing his path towards the checkpoint and ignoring the burning ink underfoot. We almost make it when I hear another loud hiss and this time, I hear the distinct sound of it impacting followed by us toppling forward.

Five spins around during the fall so that he lands on his back and I lose my grip on him, tumbling into the purple ink that starts to eat away at my ink shield. Fear makes me crawl to the checkpoint, another stream of ink splatting nearby as I take up position behind it with ragged breaths. When I find enough courage to look over to where Five is, horror crosses my face when I see that his right leg is missing and green ink is spurting from the wound before his body can seal it. _Ink guns don't maim, they_ _splat!_

"Five! What do you need me to do?! FIVE!" I shout desperately from cover, wishing that I had my ink gun still but knowing that it's further down the ink. I desperately try to contact the others with my headset comm but it's still being jammed, static and noise filling my ear before I turn it off. When I look back at Five, he's using his remaining limbs to crawl rapidly towards the checkpoint and I try to go for him to aid him but another stream of ink impacts near me and I jump back to safety. "Five! She's got me targeted! Keep going! You can do this!" I shout at him, desperately gesturing with my hand but staying low enough not to be targeted again.

He crawls closer before another loud hiss sounds in the distance, another shot taking Five in the right shoulder and severing the arm from his body. Panic floods my system as I shout his name, rushing out of cover despite the danger. I'm rewarded for my bold move with a shot that nearly hits me as I run for his position, ignoring the danger to try and save a fellow Agent. _Either we both get out or neither of us!_ Another loud hiss sounds in response to the thought, a fast-moving stream of purple ink taking me in the chest and knocking me back from the impact, my ink shield flashing an angry red again.

"Kosh..." I hear him say weakly as I try to right myself, now dizzy and unable to stand up straight. It takes me a few seconds to realize that I'm on my back. "Don't..don't talk, brother. Just...keep...keep going..." I say weakly, not sure if he hears me while I fight the spinning when I stand up. With such poor balance, I slip again and fall face first onto the ground covered in purple ink that starts greedily eating into my gear now that my shield is down. My breath loud in my ears as I try not to black out from the burning sensation on my face and arms.

When I look up again after an unknown amount of struggling for balance, Five is still trying to crawl towards me with his remaining arm and I start crawling to him slowly in return, my head still dizzy and my movements stumbling. Another loud hiss sounds in the distance and another stream of ink takes Five in the centre of his back. Despite the horror I felt, I don't cry out this time and use the feat to get to him before it's too late. He stops crawling towards me and flops to the ground face down, my eyes widening as I fear the worst and my panic adding more haste to my movements. _Just a few more meters, just a few more meters, just a few more-_

I finally reach him and try to flip him over but he's too heavy despite missing two limbs that leak vital inks. A rough hole is punched into his back, purple ink seeping into the wound and for a second, I panic further at the thought that he's gone. With his other arm, Five flips himself over and groans loudly as his back touches the purple ink on the ground and I immediately go for the front pouch on my belt, relieved beyond words to find my own emergency ink syringe still inside. _It's my only one and it only has enough ink for one of us._ _Five is the better warrior, the better tactician. Losing him would cost the Squidbeak Splatoon more than losing me._

My body still burning with the purple ink coating my skin and gear, I remove the safety cap on the syringe and angle it towards Five. "Only...only one of us..is gonna make it...and it's better...if.." _I have to save him! I have to!_ My hand descends swiftly to inject him but with his remaining arm, Five quickly grabs my hand and angles the syringe to stab into my chest. "Listen to me, Kosh...," he whispers with half-closed eyes but I yell in denial, quickly pulling out the syringe and realizing that it's too late. _The syringe is empty._ I look down at Fives smiling face in shock, shaking him by the jacket as panic snuffs out everything else. "No, no, no! Please! Five! Please, no! I'm...I'm gonna get you outta here!" The panic is suffocating in its intensity but despite my panic, Five turns his face to me and says in a weak voice of calmness, "I lost...too much ink already...but..you can still..still make it...now...now go..." My mind recoils at what he's asking, denial overwriting my panic. _No! I can't leave him! I **won't** leave him!_ He coughs a few times in response to my thoughts and I shout back at him, "No! I'm getting you out of here!"

I try to lift him however I can but his body is still too heavy and my limbs feel weak from the ink burns. "Kosh...," he whispers again but I cut him off as I shout at him, "No! I'm not leaving you here!" I don't know how much time passes as I still try to push and pull him desperately towards the checkpoint with tears in my eyes at the futility, green drops of desperation and fear falling down my face. _If I could just get him close enough to the checkpoint..._

His left-hand grabs my jacket collar and pulls me to face level with him with growing weakness. I'm still crying as he does so, drops now forming rivers of green ink running down my face to remove the purple. "Kosh...don't waste this...I'm going to...die here..so just..." he says weakly and a choking sob is all I can manage to respond with. Five lets go of my collar and starts to rub the tears off my face as best he can with his remaining hand, my hand holding his desperately. "Don't cry...little...brother...you get my...number now...you gotta do your...your part...now...for them...all of them..." All I can respond with is a sob as I keep holding his hand. _Please, don't let this happen. Please._

"Live...for me...please..."

His hand relaxes as he closes his eyes, a smile on his face and his last breath escaping his chest. Intense panic sets in as I start to shout, "Five?! Please, no...no, no, NO! FIVE! GLAG! PLEASE!" I was still holding his hand as it loses all strength and my other hand moves his chest rapidly. _He isn't moving._ "NO! This can't be your end! PLEASE! Wake up! PLEASE!"

But he doesn't wake up and it takes a full minute for me to realize that he's gone, the full weight of his death crashing down on me like a blow. Still holding his hand, I lay it across his chest and rest my head on it as I sob without restraints, still trying to deny the scene in front of me and deny that he's gone but slowly coming to the realization. _Please don't be gone...not like this...not now..._

I barely notice the Splat Charger at the back of my head, a black octoling behind it. I don't know how long she stands there, waiting patiently as I vent my sadness but when I finally notice, the trauma boils over and I feel anger washing away my anguish. "WHY!?" I shout at her while rising on shaking legs, my body turning around to look at her. Her ink gun doesn't flinch, tracking my head as I stare down the barrel of her Splat Charger. "We were here at your kind's request! Why did you do this?!" I shout at her, tears in my eyes but rage in my heart. She doesn't answer, quickly turning her rifle around and slamming the stock into my face, stars dancing in front of my eyes as I hit my back with a pained roar. I can barely see when her hand grabs the back of my jacket and starts dragging my front along the ground. I try to fight off my attacker but can't, my body spent from the physical and emotional drain.

The octoling holds me up in front of her face, my feet not touching the ground as she stares at me with a dark expression. Fear returns as I stare into her purple eyes, the gaze cold and emotionless. _I've never seen them before, let alone under their goggles._ In a slow, deliberate voice, she states, "I'm going to let you go now, inkling. The demand is for a dead agent and the price is paid. You were foolish enough to oppose the octarians once so let's see if you'll try again after this." I try to strike her with a fist or a foot as my anger returns but she lets go of my jacket, letting me fall into the checkpoint.

The last thing I see is her cruel face and those purple eyes staring coldly at me before the checkpoint absorbs me into the network.

* * *

It takes minutes to travel back to base, my movements uncoordinated and when I finally arrive at Octo Canyon's checkpoint, the Cap'n, Marie, and Callie are waiting for me. The Cap'n is the first to speak. "Six? Where's Five? We lost contact with you a few minutes ago," he states in a gentle tone before noticing the purple ink still on my body despite the checkpoints efforts to repair the damage. My head groggily looks around and stops when I see Glag's Splattergun is nearby, covered in purple ink that's warping the material. _The octoling must've tossed it in after me._ The horror of what I've seen catches up to me again and my right-hand goes to my face, covering my right eye as tears flow down my face onto the ground and a sob escapes my throat. All I can think of is Five last words, over and over again as the others start to help me to my feet.

 _"Live for me...please..."_

* * *

There was an after report a few days later after I recovered enough from my mental and physical wounds to tell them what happened. That's when I found out that I have good memory, the horrible scene I'd experienced told in vivid detail in front of my fellow Agents along with the Cap'n. I didn't want to tell them all of it at first but the Cap'n insisted that it's vital that I give him every detail. _The mission was diplomatic, a talk with their leaders to form a longer lasting truce. How did it go so wrong?_ From my descriptions of the forces they deployed and the death of an agent, the mission clearly did not go as planned.

The Cap'n knew who I was talking about when I described the black octoling that dropped me into the checkpoint. Drosyn is her alias or name, a rogue octoling. The weapon she used was illegal technology, something called a thin stream weapon that cuts rather than splats. All of it was further evidence that she's a war criminal, wanted for mutilation and deaths across inkling and octarian territory. Enemies suffering greatly is her calling card and she likely chose to let me live because I would suffer the most. The Cap'n wasn't sure she was real when Octavio told him but with my new testimony, it was now clear that she was proven real.

 _All it cost was my brother's life..._

* * *

I wanted to stay on the team and continue my training with the Squidbeak Splatoon but the Cap'n wanted me mentally stable before reenlisting me, insisting that my growing anger was dangerous. In exchange, Cap'n Cuttlefish recruited two new agents to cover for Glag and me, Whinter and Clementine who eventually became Agents 3 and 4. An encounter with Drosyn nearly killed Whinter but Clementine inked her head off with a Splat Charger shot. Part of me wanted to believe it was over when I got the news from the Cap'n a few months later, that Drosyn was splatted for good. But there was no confirmation of permanent splatting. _There's no telling what a rogue octarian agent is capable of._

My focus wasn't on Drosyn for the next two years. I had broken the news that Glag was dead to Scurry who had no idea what we were doing. She didn't take it well, blaming me for not saving him and for hiding the fact that we were Agents in the Squidbeak Splatoon. I didn't refute any of the accusations because she was right. _I didn't save him, he saved me and I couldn't tell her we were Agents because I was under Cap'n orders not to tell anyone. What I'm telling her now is all I'm authorized to tell._

I used my mental recovery and physical training as an excuse to ignore her hate of me, throwing myself at as many turf wars, practice ranges, heavy exercise regimes, and solemn meditation sessions I could afford. I barely remember half of it as I threw myself at the task with no limits imposed and all the while, allowing a rift to form between Scurry and I. Scurry started taking her training more seriously as well and eventually told me it was for avenging Glag. I didn't think the Cap'n would allow a single inkling going on a rampage in octarian territory but I didn't bother to tell him either. _For all I knew, the Cap'n had washed his hands of me._

That's when I received news from the Cap'n that made all the anger I was suppressing resurface for the first time in two years. That was one of the few time I ever broke an ink gun out of anger, smashing it to bits against a wall. _He was signing me on again. Scurry and I both._ Although she had talent and could handle an ink gun, I couldn't stomach the thought of losing another sibling to the octarians. I said as much in outrage to the Cap'n who insisted that she's better protected if she's trained by the Agents. I couldn't fault him for that since Whinter and Clementine along with Callie and Marie didn't stop just one but two incidents with Octavio, thwarting full-on invasion and subjugation of Inkopolis. They knew better than any inklings alive how to fight the octarians. _Did they know how to stop a rogue octarian agent though?_

That was one reason I agreed to come back to the Squidbeak Splatoon and move back to Octo Canyon, leaving everything behind in Inkopolis to join the fight against the octarians again. The other reason was that I couldn't convince Scurry not to join and although we hated each other, we both agreed on one thing.

 _We wanted revenge._


	6. Normalcy

**Chapter V: Normalcy  
**

* * *

My eyes snap open and a gasp escapes my throat as disorientation sets in and the memory of past horrors subsides. I look up to see Marie lightly shaking my left shoulder, not recognising her at first. "Kosh, are you alright?" she asks as I look down to see Scurry still held in my arms, tears still in her eyes. I'm about to answer Marie's concerns when I feel something churn inside me, lightly moving Scurry off me as fast as able so that I can slide the bathroom door open.

Callie is on the toilet, shouting at me, "Hey, I'm in here! Knock first!" Ignoring her outrage, I head for the bathtub and quickly inhale, vomiting out a stream of green ink while unsure if it's my stomach contents or not. After a few seconds of violent heaving, I spit a few times to get the taste out of my mouth. "Couldn't you do that somewhere else?! I'm kinda busy in here!" she shouts, something impacting my head lightly in response to her ire. Marie explains from outside the bathroom. "He's having a relapse. Give him time to clear it up," she states but I don't get to answer as another churning causes me to vomit more green ink. A few minutes pass before I feel comfortable enough to move but I don't get far, falling to the bathroom floor. Someone drags me along the floor out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and propping me against the wall. _Or am I laying down..._ "Easy now. That was a bad episode. Take deep breaths," someone says and I try to thank whoever it is but can't because of my head spinning.

Scurry's looms into my blurry vision, the only details I can see are her eyes and hair tentacles. Something touches my forehead as her face stares at me in concern. "He's running a fever. Get the ice and some cold drinks," she says while turning around to talk to someone and I vaguely hear Callie's voice shouting something at someone but am distracted by something damp brushed across my forehead. I try to speak again but I'm too dizzy to speak or hear a response. The something touching my forehead is removed and replaced with a colder object, someone commanding me to open my mouth and muscle memory doing as instructed, a thermometer put into my mouth. _Maybe? My head hurts..._

I try to focus but my thoughts keep slipping away and when I try to ask what's happening, all I get back is, "Get him upstairs and into bed. We need to lay him down." _How long has it been since I had that thermometer? What's happening?_ Hands grab under my arms as I start to move involuntarily and I try to find my feet. "Was it something he ate maybe? Something he drank?" someone says, my face wincing at the shouting but I couldn't tell whose voice it is. _Marie maybe?_ "No, he didn't eat much so it can't be the food," someone else says, my face smiling or trying to at the recollection. _Definitely Scurry. I'd recognize her voice even half deaf. Part gentle and part stern...I'm not sure if that makes me comfortable or upset. What happened to the cold object?_

My feet are dragging along the ground and I try to walk but my motor skills aren't working properly and someone pats me on the shoulder. "Don't try to move too much. We're almost there," someone says, my head still dizzy but recognizing the voice. _That's definitely Marie but it's hard to tell with the warbling sounds._ Something brushes my back and I realize I'm lying down, my eyes now closing as the room spins and the dizziness hurts my head. I try to think again but my thoughts are still slipping. "What were you guys talking about?" I hear someone say and I try to answer but still can't, hearing a few more sounds. _Maybe words?_ My head keeps drifting in and out of thought but more thoughts keep intruding. _Drosyn...Glag...those purple eyes..._

 _"Live...for me...ple-"_

My stomach lurches again but I can't move and someone moves me as I cough out more green ink, dizziness overwhelming me for a movement. I'm not sure where the ink lands but something rubs my back and I vomit out more green ink. "Better get comfortable. You're gonna be here awhile," someone says and I only hear snippets, my ears ringing and my breath ragged. "Whats...happening..to.."

"You're having another relapse. Your body is rejecting the green ink like it did last time. It'll take a while for it to calm down," someone says in a stern tone and I try to conjure who it is. _Who was talking? Was it the person who's moving me onto my back? Am I lying down? I can't tell._ "Don't take this the wrong way but I have to do this," someone says and something presses against my lips, a thick liquid shoved down my throat that causes me to gag involuntarily. "You need to swallow that. It'll help," the same voice says, my body rebelling against it until thought makes me do otherwise. _Is that the same person?_ I do as I'm told because I have few other options to pursue and it helps immediately. I start to feel better despite the lingering dizziness, finally able to open my eyes.

Scurry descend again to press her mouth against mine and I try to protest but my body feels numb and non-responsive. Our mouths meet and more of her ink is pushed into my system and although I slowly understand what she's doing and why it needs to be done, the action is still awkward as I force myself to swallow her ink and let it filter out the green.

I look at the back of the room to see Marie watching from a chair nearby and though her face is neutral, I could see that there's slight amusement to it. _Was she enjoying this? More awkward exchanges later..._ Scurry finally removes her mouth from mine, a bit of cyan ink dribbling down her lip as I cough lightly. "Thanks for that but...are we done?" I croak but she just gives me a smirk and descends towards me again as I sigh, her mouth pressing against mine a third time and forcing more ink into my throat. Two sickening questions occur to me as I swallow the ink. _Was she enjoying this? Was I enjoying this?_ I gently push her off and lean over the side of the bed, seeing a bucket of green ink as more my vomit falls into the bucket. I spit a few times and exhale loudly when I finish. _Hopefully, that was the last of it-_

"Way to kill the mood, Kosh," Scurry says sarcastically from behind me as I move to lay on my back to stare at the ceiling. "Well...thanks..." I croak even as I cough a few more times and swallow to clear my throat. Marie breaks the silence from across the room. "You'll need to be more careful about avoiding high stress when using another ink colour. This is the third incident in the past few months in this house. You're lucky that you and Scurry share the same ink type or it might've gone much worse. In the future, refrain from using another ink colour when at rest." Although I want to disobey the order like I always do but I know it's for my own good, my head nodding reluctantly to her advice.

The hallway door slides open, Whinter, Clementine, and Callie's voices sounding from outside as they surge into the room. _Great, so everyone knows now._ I rub my mouth to get the cyan ink off my face as Marie starts to explain what happened. _Ink sickness...I haven't had that in a while..._ _and the only reason it happened is that I use green ink when in Octo Canyon._ I'm still rubbing my mouth and realized that I'm glowing with embarrassment. _I know Scurry just saved me from a painful splatting but it's still awkward._ To emphasize how awkward, she hovers into my view with a smirk on her face as her cyan eyes bore into mine. "Didn't I say don't take that the wrong way? I did what had to be done," she gloats as I grunt in annoyance. _Two can play the sarcastic game._ "Did you have to look like you were enjoying it?" I say with hostility as she looks away, moving from her side to a back position but in a way that showed off her body. _She still isn't wearing-_

I try to throttle the thought like before but it was too late. Worse, she realizes I'm staring at her chest before I can stop myself and flips back around with a wide grin on her face as I lay back down quickly to avoid eye contact. "You have my chest stuck in your head now, don't you?" she whispers and all I can do is nod stiffly. _No point lying about it since she already knows._ "You know that I can't forget things easily," I croak, my voice still hoarse.

"But you can choose what to remember...so tell me," she says as she starts shimmying her body towards me. "Why do you keep remembering that?" I'm not sure if she's genuine with her seductive tone and I choose to lie back to rest, still nauseous from vomiting green ink when she presses her body against me. I'm about to think about her question when I hear noises, my response to quickly lurch up and swing my legs to the edge of the bed and avoid the bucket of green ink. _Yeah, that feels much better._

I realize with a lurch that everyone else is still in the room, watching our exchange. "Um...can you guys-" I start to croak but Marie is the one who makes it an official order. "Since you seem back to normal, we'll let you rest now," she states as she gestures for everyone to leave the room, giving me one last look before she closes the door behind her. With everyone finally gone, I start to move the bucket of green ink to the bathroom but a voice from behind me comments, "Deal with that later. This is more important." _One incident at a time._ I ignore Scurry for a moment, heading towards the bathroom and sliding the door open with a foot. _It makes me feel bad to have our own bathroom since the others have to share one._ While placing the bucket near the bathtub so that it can be analyzed later or dumped out, panic sets in when I feel another churning in my insides. It's no small relief when I realize that it's a normal churning, my hand swiftly closing the paper door of the bathroom behind me as the urge to use the toilet sets in.

A few ruffles sound on the door. "You alright in there?" Scurry asks with more concern then she usually shows. _Too much concern for her but understandable given the amount of vomiting._ "Yeah, I'm fine now. Thanks." I respond, letting out a sigh as I relieve myself and taking time to enjoy the small amount of alone time. Thankfully, nothing comes out of me that's unexpected besides the usual ink discharge. _Maybe I'm also being a too careful since I'm now checking my own waste for signs of illness._ I make sure to wash my hands before leaving the bathroom and as I open the door, Scurry in the doorway with a glum look that bordered on angry. I nudge her out of the way as exhaustion sets in and the urge to sleep starts to become overpowering.

"Hey! Answer my question!" she shouts as she follows me, another sigh escaping me as I climb into bed. _Ugh, forgot about that._ "Look, are we making something out of this? I saw your breasts and I can't forget it easily. The most I can do is file it away and hope it doesn't interfere too much," I say dismissively as I get under the blanket and close my eyes. She doesn't let it go, shaking me awake with a growl. _Now I'm getting upset._ "Look, Sis. What do you want from me?" I growl at her as I open my eyes, surprised by her closeness and her neutral expression. _Is she blushing? Wait, why is she getting on top of me?...Zapfish!_ I try to move my arms to push her off but she holds my arms in place, seating herself on top of me so that my torso is immobile. _Maybe if I can angle my legs-_

"Answer. My. Question," she growls through barred teeth, fangs ready to bite as her hair tentacles move to hold my legs in place. I groan in frustration at being pinned, struggling to throw her off for a few seconds before giving up. _My body is still weak from the changing of ink_ colours _._ I don't look at her when I say, "I don't know..."

"What?" she growls, leaning her head down further and growling more menacingly into my face. A growl escapes me as well as I shout back, "I don't know, okay!? I don't know why it keeps recurring! Maybe its because I haven't seen an inkling naked in a while! Maybe I'm just frustrated with not sharing ink with anyone and my hormones are making me crazy! I don't know! There! Are you happy with that answer!?" My eyes dart to her and from her body language and her blank stare, she isn't happy with the answer. She quickly turns my head forward with her left hand before holding my right arm down again. "Close your eyes," she commands and I just growl as I obey. The limbs holding my arms and legs in place slacken their grip but the weight on my chest-

I open my eyes but too late as her lips meet mine in a far too intimate way. Her eyes are closed and I see a few cyan tears in her eyes as her arms wrap around my neck and her full weight lays on top of me. _What does a normal inkling do in a scenario like this?...I'm not a normal inkling...how would I know?_ Closing my eyes, I start returning what I assume is a kiss, copying her movements by wrapping my arms around her. _My stomach should be turning out the rest of its contents right now. Maybe I'm sick of vomiting today or already vomited out my stomach earlier...but this isn't as bad as I thought...just innocent affection to alleviate some stress and then-_

Her tongue enters my mouth moments later, half choking me with shock as I desperately try to keep myself calm and resist the urge to throw her off. _Why am I resisting the urge to throw her off!? Isn't that the normal response!?_ It's a strange feeling having her brush my teeth and tongue with her tongue, stranger when she brushes the gum where my left tooth used to be. Since I'm not used to this, I repeat the same actions to her when she allows it, doing the same to her mouth with my tongue and noting that she still has all of her teeth. Time drags on as the moment drags on and I come perilously close to throwing her off, my hands moving between her shoulders and her back as my mind wonder what to do. _She's a sibling and this isn't what you do with siblings...but..._

Before I can act on the thought, she finally pulls away and we gasp as the ink runs down our lips from the exchange. My hands move to her shoulders again involuntarily but I don't shove her away. "Maybe you aren't the only one who's curious...and frustrated...and since no inkling will get near me because of the growling, I have to settle with you..." I grunt with relief at the explanation, finally finding something normal among this madness. _More sarcasm. Big surprise there._ _This was my chance to put an end to this because I'm just a backup, right?_ "If you don't want to be a backup, make this worthwhile. Make me want this," she whispers to me, my head looking away as I sigh to myself. _There goes my thoughts being spoken aloud again. At least she didn't hear the first part about putting an end to this._ _Or maybe she's ignoring it._ My right-hand goes to my forehead while my left-hand remains on her shoulder. _This is a lot to handle in such a short span. Earlier today she was throwing me face first into the ink on the ground._ "This is crazy, Scurry..." I find myself saying but I don't finish the thought.

My gaze goes elsewhere as irrational thoughts start flooding in and washing away my doubts, unwarranted and unwanted but entertained anyway. _I can't share ink with another inkling because of the chance of ink sickness again. She's the same ink type so no chance of ink sickness. We share the same room. The other Agents wouldn't mind...maybe. We'll both be able to focus again without this frustration. Maybe she'll stop being so aggressive-_

I stop thinking about it as instincts take over, my other hand returning to her shoulder and moving us onto our sides. My arms move around her back and under her shirt as I pull her into more kisses, both of us losing what little control we have as we both give in. My hands move across her body, feeling skin that I shouldn't be touching. _Along the back, up the front._ I feel her hair tentacles start to brush my shorts, pulling away from her kisses to gasp at the sensation.

Clothes start coming off before I can stop it, the action made difficult because she keeps insisting on kisses as I try to wrestle her out of her shirt and shorts. It's no surprise when her shirt comes off that she isn't wearing any underwear and I don't bother to ask why anymore. Her hair tentacles pull my shirt and shorts off with swift yanks, my body shaking slightly at being exposed. "Showoff," I say as I start to smile, her giggle something I haven't heard in a while as we continue to kiss and I slowly feel myself at ease. I don't see where the clothes end up when we toss them off the bed but all that mattered was that they're out of the way. I take some time to brush more parts of Scurry with my hands, slowly accepting that she isn't trying to hurt me as I do so. _Long hair, slight body, a face with brilliant eyes._

"You're beautiful...I said that out loud, didn't I..." I whisper timidly as she nods and smiles, her hair tentacles pulling off my underwear as she kisses me a few times. "You're handsome too..." she whispers, touching my crotch with her left hand as I exhale with growing excitement. My hand mirrors her movement as I do the same, both our hands moving to private areas as the mood sets in. We both close our eyes and touch what needs to be touched, her body growing warmer in my arms as I touch her. _This feels surreal...my hand touching her crotch and her hand touching mine..._ It doesn't take long for both of us to let out a gasp of surprise, cyan ink coating sheets and fingers as we both reach an unexpected end. My body relaxes completely, the strange sensation of warmth causing my eyes to close as I enjoy our closeness. "That felt...good..." she whispers to me and I find my instinct reassert their control over me. My eyes open to find her staring at me with something like serenity, a happy smile on her face as I line up my body with hers and prepare for something that I'm not sure of.

"You won't regret this later?" she asks timidly, blushing brightly as she embraces me and rubs her body against mine. I don't answer her, smiling back as push myself forward and issuing a shared gasp at the sudden connection. _Her body is warm...and comforting...is it right that I do this?_ "This won't be the last time," I whisper back to her, my arms holding her close while I continue to kiss her and start to move my body. Our foreheads rest on each other as our breathing becomes as rhythmic as our movements. _So this is what lost in passion is...drifting away and forgetting all the troubles..._ Even though my mind tries to drudge up the pain and the memories, the feelings of warmth and comfort blot it out. Sweat coats her skin and mine as the shared warmth become too much, the sheets damp beneath us as a smile crosses my face. _I'll need to wash those after this._ She hums slightly when I press us together, the sensation both pleasant and unbearable as I feel a yearning that I can't describe. _How do we know how to do all of this?_ _Is this normal for our kind? I have no idea..._

"Why can't we be nice to each other?" Scurry whispers, closing her eyes and crying a little as she asks. I don't answer because I don't want to say something wrong or say something to ruin the moment, my lip gently kissing hers instead to shut myself up. A few more movements are all it takes to push us over the edge as we both groan in a happy release, her ink sloshing out onto my crotch as I feel my own ink entering her body. It only lasts moments with our muscles tensing and relaxing from the release, the sensation washing away all doubts I had about this being a mistake. We both gasp lowly again as she nestles her head over my right shoulder. "Please...please don't leave me..." she whispers sadly, her hands digging into my back as I held her close. "I promise," I whisper as I move to stroke her hair tentacles, not sure if it was comforting to her or not. _I already ruined my first relationship and I'm not about to ruin this one too._ The tender moment doesn't last long as I push her onto her back and we both sigh happily as we understand together. She doesn't resist me when I push back into her for the second time, her hands and hair tentacles pulling me into more kisses as we find the mood taking over again.

I only recognize that time passes when the cyan parts of our bodies start to glow with phosphorescence, compensating for the lack of light as we look at each other curiously. "Should we...stop now?" she asks me timidly, her body rubbing against mine telling me the opposite. "Do you...want to stop?" I ask her in equal timidness, both of us smiling as we say no simultaneously and continue to kiss and share bodies. At one point, she playfully bites my lip and draws ink but I don't really mind. _I'm not sure that's a good reaction for me to have...but it's a small price to pay since I'm putting my ink into her body..._

After what seems like hours, I finally rest on my side with Scurry in my arms, the sheets now glowing a bright cyan around us as we try to catch our breath. I can barely keep my eyes open as Scurry falls asleep in front of me, a happy sigh as she smiles at me and closes her eyes to doze off. _Her face is so peaceful now_... Despite my own exhaustion, my head feels clear and I decide to follow her example by closing my eyes and relaxing my breathing. _  
_

Instinct takes over for the last time, my mind finally going blank as I follow Scurry into slumber.


	7. Disorganized

**Chapter VI: Disorganizated**

* * *

The heat of the sun and the stickiness of dried ink on the sheets are the first things I feel when I wake up, raising my head slightly and putting a hand in front of my face to block the rays of light. A weight is on my chest and I look down to see Scurry still asleep on top of me, my mind not remembering turning onto my front. Instead of going into the usual analysis, I simply stop caring for a moment and try to get up. Her body keeps pushing me back into bed despite my efforts and when I try to nudge her off, she tightens her arms around my neck and smiles up at me. "Scurry, I need to close the blinds. Get off me for a second," I whisper but her response is to lift herself to eye level and rub her cheek against mine, rubbing her body against mine the entire way.

I don't try to convince her further, tossing the sticky blankets off of us and sighing to myself when I see the stains. _Explaining why the sheets are like this to the others are gonna be awkward...whatever..._ Slowly, I manoeuvre us so that I can sit on the edge of the bed, Scurry yawning lazily on my lap before rubbing her cheek against mine again and kissing me a few times. I yawn in return when she's done kissing me, still tired from yesterday and wondering how many hours we actually slept last night given how rowdy we got. _What came over us? I can't believe we did that..._ Standing up is difficult with the extra weight of another inkling but once up, it doesn't feel too difficult. A few steps away from the bed, however, I stumble under the extra weight and nearly dump us both onto the floor. As I take time to right myself, Scurry smirks at my clumsiness and whispers the word smooth.

It's a slow balancing act to the window but once there, my right-hand leaves Scurry's back to yank the cord for the blinds, the blinds descending with a hiss and lowering the light level in the room drastically. With eyes readjusting to the new amount of light, Scurry's weight finally becomes too much and I'm forced to turn around and take a seat against the wall, my rear thumping against the floor as Scurry lands on me. "Ha! Nice try but you fail at being romantic," she responds sarcastically, my eyes rolling in response to her outburst. "So much for us being nice to each other," I retort and her face meets mine with a smile to kiss me on the lips further. She does her best to tempt me into another passionate exchange before I lightly push her away, cyan ink dribbling down my lip. "Remember the mission. We need to get ready," I state as I rub the ink away from my lip with a hand, my head starting to swim as deviant thoughts start to enter. _All I have to do is push my body closer-_

A hand goes to my head as I smirk and blush, saying to her in dismay, "What did you do to me?" Scurry smiles darkly at me and kisses me a few more times, my body yearning to give in before she moves back and says, "I just gave you some affection and it's having side effects on you." She pokes my forehead lightly with a finger, a wicked smile now on her face at how deviant she was being. "It should be an interesting couple of days after this..." she whispers and kisses me again, my arms wrapping around her and almost pulling her towards me before I stop myself and sigh in desperation, lowering my head is dismay. _Of course, our exchange had strings attached. Why did I think sharing ink with another would be that easy?_

"Am I interrupting something?" says a familiar voice, my head jerking quickly to the source of the voice as my smile drops in an instant. Marie is standing nearby with a hand over her mouth, obviously confused at the sight in front of her. "Oh...you and...well, I just...came in to make...make sure you're...OK...but you seem fine now." _Well, this is awkward...sitting naked on the floor with my sister draped over me..._ Scurry doesn't notice or care, keeping her focus on me and trying to get intimate again while I'm distracted by kissing and licking me on the cheek and neck. The situation becomes doubly awkward when I notice Callie snickering in the doorway of the room.

"Zapfish! You guys really _did_ share ink, didn't you?...Can I get some photos?" My brow raises in surprise as Callie has her squidphone in her hand immediately but Marie is quick to cut her off. "Alright, give them their privacy. Well be back when you're...done," she states as Callie tries to protest by saying that we owe her for yesterday but is quickly overwritten as she's shoved back into the hallway. I watch them go and wait till they close the door before saying, "You think a sign will work?" I have to stop Scurry's advances to get her answer of no. "Some sort of barricade?" Another no from her. "What about-"

"You really think obstacles will keep an Agent away?" she whispers, breaking through my guard and kissing me a few times before I can stop her. Before I can respond to anything else, I groan in frustration as the door slides open again and Whinter's head pops into the room, his eyes noticing the scene and making him move out of the room rapidly. Clementine peaks in after Whinter, holding my gaze for a second with something akin to scorn and following Whinters example of exiting the room.

I just shrug since I didn't have an explanation for myself, let alone them. "So what happens now?" I ask Scurry, her response to smirk at me and kiss me again. My resistances finally break down and I let it happen, pulling her closer and kissing her thoroughly in an attempt to make her stop but only eliciting her responses to be more passionate. "What do you think? We get clean and dressed," she whispers between kisses but she makes no moves to do either task, stopping her affection long enough to stare at me with that smirk. "I have to carry you to the bathroom, don't I?" I groan, not surprised when she braces her arms and legs around me. "Yeah, so hop to it," she giggles while trying to go for more kisses, my hand moving over my mouth to stop her. _I'm not sure I'm into being ordered around or having these urges running around inside me. Everything is happening so quickly and Scurry has gone from yelling at me frequently to trying to seduce me._ As I rise to my feet trying to do as she asks, I stumble again and have to brace myself against the wall. Scurry is quick to giggle and taunt with, "C'mon, Kosh. Lift with your legs."

"I'm lifting with my legs! You aren't so light, you know!" I retort angrily but her response is to bite me on the shoulder and I wince at the pain of her teeth shredding skin and drawing ink. "That's for calling me heavy," she says menacingly as she shows me her teeth now painted with some of my ink, my body stumbling again from minor pain. Once I'm comfortable with my balance and am sure that she isn't going to unbalance me immediately, I push away from the wall and take slow, careful steps across the room to the bathroom. Using my foot, I nudge open the paper door to the bathroom since I didn't have any free hands. "You should get a new hairstyle," she says playfully as we enter the bathroom, for which I quickly respond evenly, "Don't push it."

My first observation on entering the bathroom is that the ink bucket is gone. _Someone must have come in while Scurry and I were passed out._ The idea that we had been so exhausted that someone waltzed into the room unnoticed doesn't make me feel comfortable. All of these thoughts are overwritten when we look at the tub. "How am I going to select the ink for the bathtub if I can't use my hands?" I ask Scurry who responds by stretching her left hand out towards the bath fixture, nearly unbalancing me in the process. She gives me the order to move closer and I slowly move her closer until she can put her hand on the ink scanner of the bath fixture. A chime sounds as the tub starts to fill with cyan ink, both of us watching as it fills.

"You can put me down now," she says playfully and the temptation to just drop her into the tub is great. Instead, I place her in the tub gently with the sound of displacing ink but as I turn to walk out of the bathroom, her hand grabs my wrist and stops my progress. "Whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going!?" she exclaims, my head turning to her in surprise to see her face displaying a grin. _That smile hasn't left her face...was what we did really that life-changing?_ "To let you bathe in peace and quiet?" I say nervously but her head shakes no at my answer. "Who said I wanted peace and quiet? Get in here," she commands, giving my wrist a solid pull and draping me over the lip of the tub. I sigh in response and state in frustration, "Alright, alright. You don't have to get _that_ bossy."

Although we share the same ink colour, I make sure nothing terrible happens by dipping my right hand into the ink. Nothing happens to the hand but as a snarky response, Scurry licks her finger and presses it against the skin on my arm, mouthing a sizzling sound of ink singing skin. I smile at the antic, sarcastically saying, "Very funny, Scurry."

"Oh, lighten up. We've already shared ink several times and slept in the same bed together. What are you being all embarrassed for?" she states with a smile, gesturing for me to hurry up as I climb into the tub with her and find the situation surprisingly intimate. My smile remains as I say to her, "Just making sure I don't catch ink sickness from your bad sense of humour." She smiles as she splashes some ink from the tub into my face, my head trying to turn out of the way but too slowly. "And here I'm trying to be nice," she gloats back at me but I barely hear it as some of the ink gets into my left eye before I can fully close it, forcing me to rub the eye frantically to get the ink out.

Scurry chuckles nervously as she adds, "You still can't see under ink? I thought you'd gotten over that?" I give an angry growl as I rub my eye, retorting loudly, "No, I haven't gotten over that! I can't get over something that my body has!" I blink a few times to allow my vision to clear, one eye slightly blurry as it adjusts. _We swim in ink for most of our time yet I can't see out of one eye under it...I'm flawed..._ The depressing thought comes riding in unannounced and my face mirrors the grimness of my thoughts. _I'm flawed...both stale and flawed...n_ _ormally that doesn't bother me...  
_

My mood sours as the thought drains my happiness to replace it with sadness, my gaze now unable to meet Scurries out of irrational shame. _Is she still going to make fun of me for my flaws? Why does that scare me now?_ It only lasts a few seconds because Scurry pulls herself closer to me, our bodies touching as she embraces me tightly. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you sad..." she whispers, using her face to push mine around to face her. The event stuns me because it has never happened before, my confused eyes meeting hers to find them genuinely sorry. _Apologizing? She never apologizes..._ A sigh escapes me as I return her embrace wholeheartedly, whispering to her while rubbing her back, "It's alright. Just don't do it again, OK?" She gives me a gentle nod as she moves her head over my shoulder, my hands starting to rub her back as she moves her head lower to brush my neck with her cheek.

I have to force myself to focus before instincts take over, physically moving Scurry back by the shoulders to her visible disappointment. _Focus. We're here for a reason._ Letting go of her and cupping my hands, I scoop some of the ink from the tub and start scrubbing her hair tentacles with it, watching the strange reaction of ink absorbing into her hair tentacles and fixing any discolouration. _I'd never seen this from the outside before_... "Hey, that tickles," she giggles, starting to do the same to me as we both smile at each other and start bathing one another. I move my hands lower, scrubbing her shoulders, her arms, and underarms. "You missed a spot," she says as she pulls away from me, exposing her front to my blushing embarrassment. I move a little too slowly when I start to rub her front, my mind trying to focus even as I touch her chest. _Just yesterday, she was shoving me face first into the ink and now we're bathing in the same tub and scrubbing each other._

The stinging pain of Scurry biting my hand playfully returns me back to the present, my eyes focusing to realize that I had started to rub her face. "Now that I have your attention, get back to scrubbing," she says mockingly, moving her hands to scrub my sides as I move back to scrubbing her front. As soon as she reaches low enough, however, she starts to rub my crotch and I gasp at the sudden stimulus. "Hey...not here..," I protest as I remove her hand but Scurry just switches hands, forcing me to stop both of her hands to the growing irritation on her face. "What's the deal?! You were really into it yesterday and now you aren't?!" she shouts at me, forcing her hands out of my grip with a swift tug. There's some shock on my face at her yelling but its replaced by seriousness. "I told you we need to remember the mission now. Celebrate after it's done, not before," I try to explain but she just growls at me, the mood souring as it becomes clear to her that I won't allow us to share ink in the tub. Both of us now clean ourselves instead and she finishes cleaning herself first, climbing out of the tub and shaking the excess ink off her body before walking out of the bathroom and leaving me to clean up the mess.

A few minutes go by before I get out of the tub, grabbing a towel to dry myself off and cleaning off any surfaces stained with ink. _More laundry for later._ Scurry isn't in the room when I slide the bathroom door open, probably going downstairs to get breakfast. I shake my head when I see the state of the room with the bed a mess and clothes tossed on the floor. _And she wonders why I want to show restraint...how many times did we share ink in one night?_

I spend some time gathering up the ink-stained sheets and throwing them in a basket in the corner along with the dirty clothes and the towel I'm holding. With the room relatively in order, I move to the closet to grab a shirt and a pair short off a hanger, slipping them on quickly so I can rejoin the others. I chuckle to myself when I start thinking of how wild it would have been if our intimate moments had reached all corners of the room instead of staying contained on the bed. _Am I that crazy? Am I capable of that? I don't know but I guess I'll find out in time._

Not bothering to fix the bed since most of the sheets are dirty in a basket, I do a quick double-check of the room and find it in order. My right-hand slides open the hallway door to find Clementine outside, her face staring at me with hostility. "We need to talk," she states in a stern voice as she sees me and I nod my head in response. "Yeah, there's a mission briefing that we're probably missing. I'm about to head downstairs too," I say calmly as I turn to the stairway but she stops me with a hand on my chest, her face a neutral mask as she keeps me from going downstairs. "We need to talk about you and Scurry," she states in a commanding tone that brooks no argument but I'm thankful she's to the point even as I sign at the sudden question. "Alright...what do we need to talk about?"

"Did you share ink last night with Scurry?" she asks immediately, my brow raised at the immediate accusation. _Very forward of her._ I simply answer yes because she probably knew the answer already. _It isn't like I can deny her accusation since everyone saw us this morning._ Her face remains neutral as she continues with her accusations. "Might I ask what you were thinking? Not only is there a taboo about sharing ink with a relative but you also shared ink with a fellow Agent." I force myself to remain neutral but inwardly, I'm rolling my eyes. _Right...she hasn't shared ink with Whinter._..m _aybe I assumed too much when I thought the others will understand..._ I try to stop the conversation by changing the topic. "Let's talk about this after we get the mission briefing. Everyone else is waiting, right?" It surprises me when she shakes her head no while keeping her neutral expression, her next words catching me off guard.

"There is no mission."


	8. Briefing

**Chapter VII: Briefing  
**

* * *

Clementine and I arrive downstairs while everyone is having a simple meal of rice and sushi including Cap'n Cuttlefish who's sitting behind Marie and Callie. No one is smiling or sharing the usual banter, each squid eating in silence with neutral expressions. Clementine and I go to our usual seats but before I can touch my food, the Cap'n interrupts my attempts by rising from his seat and clearing his throat. "Now that you're all here, we can begin. The situation has changed," he says in a commanding tone, hobbling around the table as all eyes now fall on him. "I must inform you that while you were all asleep, I had Sheldon release Octavio from his prison and allowe him to leave through the checkpoint."

 _So much for the mission._ Uncaring now of what is said, I start to eat the food in front of me with a frown. "The mission I gave Whinter and Kosh was simply to divert the attention of outside forces so that he could be moved in secret," he continues, stopping his pacing behind me as I shove sushi in my mouth. "I don't think I need to remind you of the details of Drosyn but what you need to know is that she is watching Kosh's movements somehow. I had to make sure she was misinformed." I swallow a mouthful of food in surprise from the new information, asking him in confusion, "Might I ask why we needed her misinformed, Cap'n?" _How did you know that Drosyn is watching me and how much are you withholding from us?_

The Cap'n coughs slightly before resuming his briefing. "She is targeting anyone trying to pursue diplomatic relations between inklings and octarians. Now that you have taken on the mantle of Five, she believes you will try to continue the mission that you and your brother started." _I have no intention of being any sort of diplomat at this time._ I take a sip of my lemon tea before asking the Cap'n, "How do you know any of this anyway? We haven't seen or heard anything about Drosyn or rogue octarians from anyone."

The Cap'n continues his hobble around the table before continuing his briefing, stretching his arms a few times as he moves. "Octavio and I shared much information before I let him go free. Though I doubt the source, Octavio seems aware of Drosyn and has had octolings of his own attempt to follow her movements. The most he knows before we captured him is that she is still alive and is assembling other octarians who wish to rebel against him and his rule. If the ink starts to fly, the octarians may face a civil war underground." I swallow another mouth full of sushi and rice before commenting, looking at the others to see them watching closely by simply listening. "Is that why he keeps trying to invade? Because he's facing a civil war on the home front?" I ask him and the Cap'n nods to himself, continuing his hobble around the room. "It seems likely but I cannot say what Octavio's motives actually are. As I said before, this information is not entirely trustworthy."

Marie speaks up at this moment with a hint of outrage that we all felt. "But what about Octavio? Is he redeemed of all the atrocities he's done?" The Cap'n looks at Marie, his expression neutral as he answers in a stern tone. "No, he is not forgiven...but keeping him here only invites rogue elements to visit us on our home turf and I can't threaten the safety of those here. There was little alternative but to release him." Despite my own misgivings, I find myself relieved by this outcome as I continue to eat my food and drink my tea. _Maybe this has a silver lining. If Octavio is hunted down by Drosyn and made dead, no one here would bemoan our decision._ _Where does that leave us though?_ "What's the plan now, Cap'n?" I ask curiously, swallowing food again and embarrassed that I forgot to swallow before speaking.

He gives us all a humble smile even as he says his commands. "Nothing. Octavio is now released back to octarian territories and that concludes the matter. Until more information surfaces about Drosyn or the movements of rogue octarian elements, you will resume your previous assignment and avoid octarian territory as much as possible." An audible groan escapes the group as everyone present starts to understand the Cap'n instructions, a smile on his face and hands in front of him in surrender at our disapproval. _More live ink drills? Zapfish..._ "Since none one here seems very enthusiastic about returning to training, take the day off to collect yourselves for tomorrow," he commands, hobbling towards the main doorway but eliciting an audible thump from the front entryway. "I'm OK! I just tripped is all!" he shouts from the doorway, righting himself with mock confidence and hobbling outside. The matter now concluded, I shrug to myself and turn back to eating the rest of the food in front of me, almost finishing it before I notice everyone staring at me and stopping mid shoving food into my face long enough to ask, "What? I haven't had breakfast yet."

"You seem to be taking this rather well...being watched by someone who's nearly splatted some of the inklings in this room," Clementine comments with her usual neutrality. "Yeah, Kosh. Aren't you taking this a little too well?" adds Whinter next to her, his face confused as I look down at the sushi in my hand then shove it into my mouth. "What if this rogue octarian agent or some crazy octarian zealot tries to splat you? Like, in your sleep?" he continues, my response to shrug again and shovel more food into my mouth and swallowing it quickly. "Worry about it later because like the Cap'n said, we have no idea where Drosyn is or what the rogue octarians are doing. All we know is her motives and some of her targets, myself included. Besides, we aren't allowed to go into the octarian territories to find answers." I take a drink of lemon tea before continuing, exhaling dramatically to their visible ire. "No point getting paranoid about it."

Scurry snatches the drink from my hand, my response to stare at her and hum slightly in frustration. "Are you seriously this calm about this?! She wants to make you DEAD! Don't you care about that?!"

"Now now, settle down. Kosh is right and the last thing we need to do is panic and give Drosyn and others an easier target," Marie interjects and I incline my head at her in gratitude before snatching back my lemon tea, a grin of victory on my face as I take another sip. "I suggest that we stay together at all times and stay alert for anything out of the ordinary. That's as much as we can do until more information becomes available," she commands but I'm distracted by pouring more lemon tea into my cup and offering it to Scurry who gently takes it from me. _That sounds easy enough._ Trying to lighten the mood, I lean back slightly and grin to everyone while saying, "So what do you guys want to do on our day off? I'm open to anything." Marie and Callie look at each other with bright smiles on their faces then back at me, both saying anything in unison. _Judging from Callie's evil grin, I'm not going to like the idea._

Marie drinks some of the lemon tea in front of her before explaining. "We're holding a concert in Inkopolis Square and you're going to dance on stage with us," she says with a gentle smile but I respond by choking on my own tea, much of it leaving my mouth in a cough. "I'm going to what?! You know I can't dance!" I blurt out as I break eye contact and start to use a napkin to clean up the stain on my chin and the table. "This is a joke, isn't it? There's no way you can set up a show in such a small amount of time and I think I keep up enough with the times to know that there isn't a concert today." _Whinter and I had visited the city yesterday and there was no posters or billboards saying a Squid Sister concert is being held today._ Callie is quick to retort by rounding the table swiftly and showing me a live stream on her squidphone of a familiar truck stage setup in Inkopolis Square being worked on in real-time. "Believe us now?" she gloats at me with an evil smile, my face paling slightly at the evidence. _This could be a prank. Stay on your toes._

"Is this because of last night?" I ask, unsure of which answer I wanted to hear but Marie tilts her head slightly in response, the same neutral smile on her face as she ponders. "Yes and no. We'd already planned this surprise event earlier and although Pearl and Marina will be hosting the main event for the full time, we decided to take part in an opening ceremony. Callie thought of adding you in as an extra surprise and I agreed." _So this IS revenge in a way._ I look at Callie to see her sporting an evil grin, her smile chilling as she says evenly, "Do you even know what today is the start of?"

My face moves from slight apprehension to confusion at the question, my head turning towards the others to see if they had any hints for me but finding only grim amusement. _What was so important about today?_ I take out my squidphone to check the date but none is displayed because instead of the usual calendar display, a citywide message is being played for me since it's the first time I've opened the calendar in months. "Wait, Splatfest is today!?" I exclaim to everyone around me, Callie displaying her own squidphone and playing a ding sound as Marie answers my question. "Well, you aren't as stale as we thought. Today is the opening ceremony for Splatfest. Now here's my second question. Do you know what the theme is?"

"Preferred condiment. Mayonnaise vs. Ketchup," I say automatically, Marie and Callie displaying surprise at my swift answer and looking at each other for a moment before Marie comments further. "That's...right. How did you know that already?" she says in confusion as I finish off my sushi and rice, swallowing the rest and gulping down the last of my tea with gusto. "Are you kidding?! Splatfest is one of the few things I try to keep up with! Let me get the dishes," I blurt as I start collecting all of the empty dishes on the table, a look of surprise on everyone's face as they watch me move with an energy they rarely see. _I must have lost track of the days if I'd forgotten that Splatfest starts today!_

"Kosh, you're scaring me..." Scurry says as I move the pile of dishes to the kitchen to clean them, taking only a few minutes to clean them all and place them on the drying rack. When I return to take my seat, Scurry is still staring at me as if she didn't who I was now. "Marie? Callie? Can you practice the dance with me so I don't make a fool of myself in front of every inkling in Inkopolis Square?" I ask them, Marie and Callie responding with laughter and rushing me to grab both of my arms and lift me out of my seat. Scurry follows behind me as I'm dragged outside, a look of disbelief on her face as Whinter and Clementine follow further behind to talk about something out of earshot. _Why has Whinter not volunteered for this event too?  
_

Marie answers my unspoken question when she turns to Whinter as they stand me up in the street. "Whinter, you're taking part in this too so get over here," she commands, Whinter jumping to attention from his seat on the porch and pointing to himself nervously. "Me!? What do I have to do with this!? I thought you're punishing Kosh!" he blurts but Callie quickly responds with a grin, "We need another male to make the stage balanced. It doesn't look as fresh to have a trio on stage compared to a quartet and since you've already performed on stage with us, we already thought you'd want to be part of this...this is non-negotiable, by the way." He's hesitant at first, looking at Clementine for support but she just smiles back at him as she gently shoves him into the street.

 _Oh...I guess that answers that question._

* * *

With Whinter now roped into the performance, the four of us spend the next two hours practising the performance in its entirety, painstakingly going over the lyrics and movements by practising them repeatedly. "C'mon, Whinter. Your hip movements are off," I whisper to him in a serious but joking tone, smiling as he adjusts his movements awkwardly under Marie's scrutiny. "Yeah!? Coming from the inkling that can't dance!" he retorts angrily but his body language and face look more embarrassed than mad. _Whinter has spent too much time being a member of team Splat Jam and dating Clementine...he can't adapt very well..._ Whinter tries to comment on my movements in spite. "You're picking this up too easily! Did you trick us into thinking you can't dance just to flaunt it at this moment?" he says in a mocking way and I respond by grinning at him and putting a hand on my right hip.

"He can't dance on his own. He's just good at mirroring movements," Scurry gloats from the porch, causing me to sigh and stop my theatrics to focus again on practising. I catch Clementine watching Whinter in a similar scrutinizing gaze. _She has been shouting hints at him every so often...all I get is ire for Scurry..._ Scurry continues her gloating a few seconds later. "Put him on the dance floor on his own and he flops like a fish" We have to stop for a second as a collective laugh escapes everyone present, myself included. I have to collect myself before retorting. "Well, yeah...I'm not good at dancing alone...but this is different. It'll be four of us," I say to the other around me, each of them nodding to me with different expressions of happiness. "In front of every inkling in Inkopolis Square," adds Callie unnecessarily, Whinter paling slightly as she says this but my face remaining neutral. Seeing me unaffected by her words, Callie's bumps me with her hip to throw off my balance but as I fall to the dirt, I quickly touch the ground with my left then right hand, pushing off the ground to reverse my direction and resume performing. I only realize what I've done when Callie exclaims from my right, "Good recovery! Maybe I'll add that to the show!" Marie is quick to call a stop to the practice to shake her head no to Callie, "No, Callie. Don't change the performance too much. Squids will get enough surprises this Splatfest."

 _Yeah...no kidding..._

* * *

When Callie and Marie finally walk off refreshed and confident in their dancing, they call an end to our practice and tell us to rest for a while. Our immediate response is for Whinter and me to collapse to the ground where we stand, our backs kissing the dirt with dull thumps of exhaustion. My breath comes in ragged gasps as I lay there on the ground, the fugue broken when a familiar face breaks my view of the sky. "Can't say I'd want to perform on stage with the Squid Sisters after seeing that," Scurry gloats as she leans over me while sipping a milk tea through a straw, offering me the other one she's holding which I take with a nod. Before I can take a drink, Scurry pulls me to a sitting position and I remove the lid of the drink to gulp half of it down in one go. I exhale in relief before saying to her, "I'm going to make a fool of myself..."

"It'll be fun either way to watch...but good luck, though," Scurry gloats with an evil grin, her expression coming across as a taunt instead an insult. _I guess that's an improvement..._ I put the cup on the ground and move to grab her by the hand before she moves further away, her progress stopping as her hand closes around mine. _This really isn't the time to say this but-_ "Listen...about this morning and...last night..." I say timidly, shivering slightly when her head turns slightly to regard me. "Yes?" she says in a threatening voice and I start to lose my confidence when Whinter sits up next to me to listen and Marie, Callie, and Clementine stop chatting as they notice our conversation. Scurry continues to stare at me without mercy as I gulp in nervousness. _Just say what needs to be said..._ "I meant it...I really did...it's just-"

"It's just what?" she hisses as I notice her other hand forming a fist. _This won't end well._ I exhale to try and calm myself, unsure of what I'm trying to say. "This is all happening so fast and I don't even know if last night was the correct path to take. We're not alike in personality and polar opposites when it comes to fashion. Now, this rogue octarian and her crazy octarian friends are trying to splat me and that puts you into the line of fire-"

I don't get to finish my explanation because her hand moves out of mine to clamp down on my wrist, yanking me towards her as she punches to the centre of the chest. I cough out stray ink from the impact of her fist and find myself on the ground as Scurry moves on top of me and holds me down with her hair tentacles and arms. I try to get up but her face growls into mine angrily, no one moving to stop her as she flashes her teeth. Her next words are spoken in a growl but with a hint of desperation and sorrow. "Now you listen here, Kosh. You're going to help me make this work, you're going to do your best to understand me as much as I'll try to understand you, and you're going to stop doubting that this was a good choice. I won't allow any of those conditions to be ignored. You got that?" Her face moves closer as she continues to growl and I'm afraid she'll bite my face when I can't respond immediately. Slightly winded from the impact, I croak out while turning my face away from her, "OK, but...was the punch...necessary?..." _Any second now, she's going to bite me-_

The bite never comes and when I slowly turn my head back towards her, she just smirks as she starts to move off me. "Yes, it was. I had to knock some sense into you and it made me feel better." She pulls me into a sitting position by the arms and slaps me hard on the back before turning to walk back inside, leaving me confused. I shout at her as she departs, "Knocking sense involves the head! Thanks for improvising!" Her response it to wave with her right hand idly as she walks inside and Whinter chimes in from my left as she leaves. "You guys really shared ink? What's that even like?" he asks with a little too much enthusiasm and I groan as I shove him lightly for his question. _Why is this such a hot topic now?_ "Why don't you just ask Clementine to share ink with you? It's worth a try, right?" I retort, gesturing my head towards her as we both turn to stare at her on the porch.

He seems flustered by the sudden question but already has an automatic answer that I've heard many times before. "That's not gonna happen and I've already tried. She's all about following the rules and sharing ink with a fellow agent is one of those rules we aren't supposed to break," he says automatically but adds something new at the end. "I'm surprised the Cap'n didn't kick you out of the Splatoon during our meeting since he's the one who made the rules and...I'm pretty sure Marie told him what happened..."

My brow raises in mild shock as I turn to look at him, wondering if what he's saying is the truth when I see him wince as Clementine makes her presence felt. "I'm still sitting right here by the way and I can hear what you're saying...but at least you're being honest," she says half mockingly and half amused. Whinter and I turn back to her with mutual confusion as Clementine rises from the porch and heads inside with Callie and Marie, leaving us sitting and left to our own devices. He doesn't seem too happy with what occurred when I turn back to him, putting his face in his hands and sighing to himself.

"Don't rush it, Whinter. You'll know when the right moment is when it comes. It may not come immediately but don't lose hope and don't make that the main reason you're with Clementine." He chuckles to himself as he turns to look at me in surprise, his face giving me with a cynical look while my own face moves to confusion. _That was...really cliche...where did that come from?_ Thankfully, Whinter looks like he took the advice in good humour and starts to laugh, the laugh contagious enough for me to join in. "Wow, Kosh. That's squishy. It that what sharing ink does to you?"

I nod my head in agreement and shrug.


	9. Showtime

**Chapter VIII: Showtime**

* * *

After a brief conversation with the others, we decide to spend the few hours before the show relaxing and having a nice lunch of noodles and fish. It wasn't as awkward as last night's cooking because I requested to cook alone and am handling everything myself with the occasional laughter from the dining room my only break in the solace. Scurry, always one to disobey my demands, sneaks her way into the kitchen somehow and kisses my neck from behind as she hugs me. I'm forced to make her pout when I tell her, "After the ceremony. Let's handle one crazy event at a time, OK?"

"After this, after that...is this how it's going to be?" she exclaims with annoyance as she lets go of me, my shoulders shrugging in response as I continue to watch the noodles boil. "I hope not but I think I've had enough excitement for a while. Let's try and be less random for a bit," I explain before the ding of an egg timer goes off and I put on the pot holders nearby, backing up from the stove to open the oven and take the baked fish out. Scurry watches the noodles in my place when I close the oven but before I leave to put the fish on a plate, I kiss her on the cheek and whisper in her ear, "Tonight, I promise...I'll make it happen." She's blushing slightly in embarrassment when I turn back to the counters, her hand lightly pushing my back in an attempt to make me go away. As I quickly move to the first of the plate and pick it up to take it to the living room, I feel a strange sense of ease.

 _This feels...nice..._

* * *

Marie is already carving the fish into portions with a kitchen knife I'd brought and passing pieces out to the others as soon as it touches the tablecloth, my face grimacing at her efficiency. _At least they saved me and Scurry a portion._.. I take my usual seat and Scurry brings in the pot of noodles a minute later, my body surging back to my feet to head into the kitchen to grab bowls and utensils for the soup. The bowls barely touch the tablecloth before multiple hands grab them and start serving themselves, the soup and noodles consumed in seconds before my eyes. "Whoa, settle down squids. The food isn't trying to outrun you or anything."

Whinter looks up with a mouth full of noodles, slurping them into his mouth and swallowing before responding, "It's just really good! It'll disappear if I don't eat it quickly!" My eyes roll as I watch him consume the rest of his bowl of soup and get another helping, the same scene played out by everyone present. _The soups disappearing in a manner of speaking._ Callie and Marie are the first to rise out of their seats, food debris and dirty dishes left in their wake as they rush back to their room with enthusiasm. I shrug as I watch them go, finally taking my seat and grabbing the bowl of soup and fish portion.

The first bit of noodles barely enters my mouth when they return and I laugh with a mouth full of noodles, nearly getting the food all over the table but making sure to have it land in my own bowl. In their hands is a pair of costumes, Callie holding a cyan bodysuit with a black dress and a cyan coloured lingcod hairpiece. The other costume is in Marie's hand, a dark blue bodysuit with a lengthened black dress and a tuna fish hairpiece. I make sure to chew and swallow my food before saying anything. "OK...how long have you guys been planning this?" I ask, not able to hide the amusement in my tone but any reply from either of them is halted when Whinter puts down his food and runs over to the Sisters. Marie takes a step back at the sudden move but Whinter goes right for the outfit, touching the material of the costume with a look of amazement. "These are amazing! How much were these? Can we keep them?" he blurts and Marie releases the costume for him to see, smiling to herself as she says, "We'll take them back so they aren't ruined from overuse. We can't have you trying to imitate us all the time-"

"Why a dress?" I interrupt, Callie laughing at my question before coming over with the other costume. "Oh, c'mon! You expect to dance with the Squid Sisters in an important event and not dress the part? Besides, you haven't even tried it on yet!" she exclaims, my shoulders shrugging as I eat my food as quickly as I can and putting down the remains. I'm barely out of my seat when Callie tosses the outfit at me, the sudden move taking me by surprise as I fumble with the costume and nearly drop it on the floor. "That's the spirit!" she exclaims again with a wide smile on her face as she goes back to rejoin Marie. The sound of coughing draws my attention and I see Clementine and Scurry trying not to laugh from their seats nearby. "It'll be funnier when we're in costume so be patient," I say to them, Scurry grinning as she inhales her fish in a single gulp. "Well, get changed then. I want to see how you look in a dress."

 _She's enjoying this far too much._

* * *

My street clothes come off in moments but my embarrassment keeps increasing as I put on my costume, the inner dress comfortable but very feminine in appearance. _For material that looks rather tight in spots, it's very comfortable and flexible...but it's still too girly..._ Ignoring the growing feeling, I pick up the overdress from the counter and pull it over the top of my head, also grabbing the hair clip next to it and clipping what hair tentacles I could fit into it. The reflection I see in the mirror once it's all on makes me both amused and sceptical. _Everyone's going to see me like this._ I shake my head to get rid of the thought, exhaling to myself and moving out of the bathroom door but as soon as I step outside of the bathroom, Clementine and Scurry burst into laughter along with Whinter at seeing me in the outfit. "Wow! I...I have...I've got nothing...that's too funny!" Whinter stutters out, wiping the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard as my feeling of embarrassment returns. I look further to the left to see Callie and Marie silently eyeing me, a very serious look on their faces as they judge the costume. _They always did take their career seriously._ Marie comes to a decision after a few seconds. "Perfect fit. You're ready to perform. Whinter, you're next to change. Second opinions, Callie?"

"I'm not sure about the hairpin," she states while walking towards me, reaching up to unfasten the hair clip and move it around the top of my head to ideal positions, eventually settling on the back right and clipping the hairpin. "There! Now it works!" she exclaims with a bright smile, her head turning towards Whinter who's about to go change and looks similarly embarrassed by the outfits femininity. "Put your hairpin on the back left so that it matches with the rest of the outfits. It'll be like one big, matching set!" Callie says with far too much energy as she quickly stands to my left and tells me to do a hip shake and twirl to demonstrate the outfit. My body does as instructed, immediately obeying the command to the growing laughter of Clementine and Scurry. _The laughter doesn't bother me as much as I thought...I'm more nervous about embarrassing myself, the Squid Sisters, the Agents, and inklings in general if I mess up this chance._

Callie adjust parts of my outfit while I perform her commands, adjusting the fit around the shoulders and waist of the outer dress while stretching the inner suit every so often until I'm dancing at the level that she's expecting. I'm immediately forgotten when Whinter joins us, his face embarrassed by his new outfit as Callie and Marie eye him as well. Scurry and Clementine weren't helping with his confidence by their laughter. "It's a bit tight around the waist," Marie elaborates, moving towards Whinter and pulling the material of his outer dress slightly with both hands. She makes a few adjustments all across Whinter's body from head to toe and commands him to do a hip shake a twirl, his body doing as instructed to the increased laughter of the others. Marie eventually tells him to halt and states, "Fixed. How does the fit feel?"

"A bit...embarrassing...and everyone knows who I am. My team is going to see me like this-" he says timidly while trailing off near the end. Marie shakes her head with an expression of scrutiny before adding, "I meant does it feel physically. Does it feel constraining at all?" Whinter shakes his head no quickly but Clementine interjects from across the room, a wide grin on her face as she states, "Don't worry, I'll make sure Marian, Logan, and Vadelma don't make too much fun of you after this is over."

Whinter puts a hand behind his head at the statement and responds in while blushing, "You're bringing your team too, aren't you?" Clementine chuckles in response and moves to a stand, stretching her limbs from sitting down for so long. "It's Splatfest, Whinter. Everyone who can make it will be there so worry more about performing well on stage." Marie emphasizes that point by telling him to do another hip shake and twirl, the rest of us watching as he pulls off the moves with grace and precision. I clap wholeheartedly to try and boost his confidence and am happy when the others do the same, the effect on Whinter immediate as he looks uplifted by our praise. "Alright, that that's all out of the way and now it's time for more practice," Marie commands, gesturing for us to stand in the area they had prior prepared for practice.

We don't much time to prepare when Marie presses play on the boom box to play City of Color for us to dance too, the dancing and singing now far more embarrassing now that we're in costume and dancing alongside the Squid Sisters. Scurry and Clementine are doing a poor job at not laughing as they watch us twirl and sing the performance, Callie and Marie performing with practiced ease while we try and keep up. _This is a lot of practice for a 10 minute performance...serious business..._ We don't do well the first few practices due mostly to Clementine and Scurry, an interruption that Marie rectifies by commanding them in her nice yet stern tone to let us practice in peace. Though I don't initially think it's a big deal for the audience to be enjoying themselves, I catch a dramatic improvement in Whinter's singing when the audience isn't laughing and Marie and Callie comment on how my dancing improves from not having extra distraction from him. _They're the professionals and I'm the amateur. They know what they're doing._

Eventually Marie finally calls a halt to the practice after several more repetitions of the performance, her voice not winded when she says, "OK, that's enough practice. The show will start soon so let's get going." I force myself not to slump in exhaustion because we have no time to rest, everyone in the room preparing to head towards the main door and into the street. Scurry nudges me with an elbow playfully as I pass, gloating to me with a grin, "Knock em down, Kosh." I give her an exhausted smile and try to ignore my exhaustion, shaking my head and limbs a few times to loosen up. _I'm excited and so is Whinter. Dancing with the Squid Sisters in a performance is one of those once in a lifetime events._

"Kosh, Whinter. Use these," Marie states as she grabs a box near the shoe rack and opens it for us to see. I laugh as I see the cyan bottom shoes along with white gloves inside the box, Callie opening another box with a grin to show Whinter his shoes. "Is this your idea of paying me back for lunch and dinner?" I comment sarcastically, Callie's immediate answer being shoving the shoe box in she's holding into Whinter's hands and sprinting behind me to jump on my back. "Well, fame can be both a punishment and a gift, right?" she says into my ear while rubbing my head with her other hand, my head nodding as Callie releases her grip and walks swiftly past the others to the door. "C'mon, squids! The fans are expecting us!" she shouts at us while Marie moves after Callie while Whinter and I put on the new shoes and gloves, both new additions as comfortable and flexible as the outfits themselves.

"Are you getting the feeling this was a setup?" I ask Whinter with a puzzled look as we try and keep up with the brisk pace of the others, a grin coming to his face as he replies, "Yeah, but this is what we get for living under the same roof as them." We get partially towards the checkpoint before a noise make us both stop and turn, Clementine and Scurry following behind us with large backpacks. "What's in the travel bags?" I ask them curiously but Scurry and Clementine just smile at each other before turning back to us. "Oh, this is just for the after party. You'll see when it's time," Clementine states with a little too much relish, my shoulders shrugging as I pull out my squidphone and realize with a minor shock that the show starts in a half hour. When I show my phone to Whinter, he quickly turns towards the checkpoint with me in tow.

* * *

 **T** he trip to Inkopolis is surprisingly quick, taking less than a minute for us to arrive in Inkopolis Square with one fist raised to the sky and hands on our hips. Callie had told us to do this when we arrive before we entered the checkpoint and I smile ironically as the crowd cheers at our antics. _Callie likely posted something on Squidgram or Squider to let them know we're arriving._ Her and Marie lead the way at a slow walk, waving at the crowd while Whinter and I walk casually behind them. Clementine and Scurry follow for a few moments before they tell us they'll catch up and disappear into the crowd before we can turn around, leaving us to catch up with the Squid Sisters.

The fanfare is deafening as thousands of voices, maybe tens of thousands, rise up to welcome the Squid Sisters and by extension, us. A familiar voice blares over the noise from the loudspeakers mounted on every major point of interest. "Is that?...It is! The Squid Sisters! And who are those two inklings with them?! Are we looking at the next big sensation?! What an upset!" More shock sets in when the reality of the situation catches up to me, my head turning to Whinter in surprise as he turns to me with the same expression. _Pearl is announcing our entry...this is crazy..._

"Wait, isn't that Whinter from team Splat Jam?! Someone is moving up in Inkopolis, it seems! I hope the rest of the team gave him their permission or it'll be one big drama for his sudden resignation!" _And that's Marina...this is **really** crazy... _My nervousness system starts to respond to the sudden shock by making my body sweat, both of us looking straight ahead for a while until I look at Whinter who's paler at having his name broadcast over loudspeakers, "Well, so much for laying low," I whisper to him, surprised at the hoarseness and nervousness in my voice. Looking over at Whinter, he gives me a weak grin and whispers back, "I'm sweating so much right now and we aren't even at the stage yet." Blue droplets are running down his face, bright against his pale skin and I pull out some napkins that I had stuffed down the front of my dress as we keep walking, offering one to Whinter who looks at me in further surprise. "When did you have the time to store those there?"

"Before we left the house. I took some out of the kitchen," I say with a grin as he takes a napkin gratefully, wiping off the sweat on his face and stuffing the dirty napkin in his outfit while I do the same to get rid of the sweat on my own face. The crowd seems to notice because as we do so, the volume of their cheering increasing. "Wow... you can't even wipe sweat away without causing a cheer-"

"I mean, we're the upcoming pop sensations. At least, so the costumes say," Whinter responds and begins to follow the Squid Sister's lead and wave to the crowd as he walks. I don't join in, putting my hands on my hips and shaking my head instead. _Yeah right._.. _I'd sooner get splatted then give up my ink gun for a fancy costume and a microphone._ _Callie and Marie can have their status._ I point ahead of us as we near the truck stage, my eyes catching Whinter gulp and some of his newfound confidence falter. "We can do this, Whinter. You just need to believe," I whisper, regretting it when I hear Whinter chuckle to himself. "Oh, wow...you may not act the part but you sure sound like it," he whispers back, moving his left-hand palm upwards and gesturing to me with it. We quickly slap our hands to bolster our confidence, my hand moving back to the napkins to wipe his sweat off my hand.

From the crowd, we start to see familiar faces in the front rows near the stage. Clementine is with Tanrine, Taloupe, and Angelo for form Vitamin Ink in its entirety, each of them waving in their own way to us. Next to them is Splat Jam, Marian, Logan, and Vadelma along with Scurry waving to us as well. I wave to them in return but am pushed along towards backstage. A familiar figure is moving behind the truck and I laugh aloud when I realize that Sheldon is hard at work on a fuse box attached to the truck. _So he's roped into this too.  
_

We step behind the truck as Marie asks Sheldon in a formal tone, "Is everything ready to go?" He quickly finishes his task and closes the fuse box, giving a thumbs up to everyone with his characteristic smile. "Everything's 110%, double checked and ready to put on a show!" he states excitedly, Marie and Callie giving him a hug as I grab one of his hands, shaking it well as Whinter shakes the other. His face cringes when he feels our sweat now coating his hands. "Thanks, Sheldon. We'll do you proud I hope," I say with confidence, Sheldon smiling to us but wiping his hands on his outfit. Whinter adds in from my right with a chuckle, "No, we'll _make_ him proud _period_! Let's do this!"

Sheldon passes out the headset microphones at Marie's request, sound checking each one to make sure they all worked as intended. _I always admired his thoroughness in a task. It's what made him Sheldon._ With the equipment checked for the tenth time, the four of us start to climb the stairs to the stage and once on stage, we all wave to the fans while taking our positions. Their cheers increase another notch in volume as the ceremony kicks off in earnest, Callie starting the show off with her intro. "Hello, Inkopolis! Welcome to the opening ceremony of Splatfest! I bet you're wondering who these fine, young inklings are with us today! But first, who's excited about Splatfest!?" she shouts, a cheer of agreement roaring in at us while all four of us smile and gesture to appease the crowd.

Marie is next in speaking. "I'm glad to see so much excitement! I hope you squids are ready to ink the ground for your favorite condiments! But first, let's get some introductions. Today, we have with us the daredevil Roller of team Splat Jam, Whinter!" The crowd cheers again and I can tell that his team are shouting extra loud at having him represent them today. "Whinter! What advice can you give to your fans?!" Marie asks him with a smile, Whinter not missing a beat when he respond. "Don't give up, no matter how hard it gets! Only way to rise up is to keep on rolling!" He raises a fist to the sky to emphasize his words, the crowd cheering loudly at his enthusiasm.

Callie chimes in next. "And over here we have a new face! The lone inkling turned pop star, Kosh!" I give the crowd a brief wave and nod that they cheer too but inwardly, I'm not happy with the title of pop star. _I didn't agree to the names...but I didn't ask either..._ "And what advice can you give inklings who are all alone in their lives?" Callie asks with a wicked grin, the question taking me off guard for a second before I do a flourish with left hand on my hip and right hand in front of my face. "Reach out and meet others! You never know who might end up your best friend or your special someone!" I shout as I flick my right hand away from my face into the air, a bright smile on my face that the crowd cheers to.

Marie takes over after Callie. "Alright, the time for intros is done! Let's give this festival a fresh start! Hit it!" she shouts, pointing to the sky as City of Color starts to play loudly behind us to the adoration of the fans. Marie and Callie chose to sing the first set of lyrics, moving and singing with a practiced grace the thousands of performances they've done. Whinter and I follow the dance moves in silence, mimicking their movements until it's our time to sing in the second set. I'm the first to start because I'm on Callie's side, singing her lines easily thanks to the hours of practice beforehand and with as much courage as I can muster given the many eyes scrutinizing us. Whinter shows a similar level of talent but I can tell that we both don't have enough practice, his singing still slightly off tune but something I hope the audience wouldn't notice.

The final set has us all singing together, our voices harmonizing as we give our all for the ending act. Sweat starts to collect on my body but eventually, the song ends on a high note and we do the 'victory volley' pose, putting one hand on our upper arm while the other arm points skywards with a L pointing gesture. The crowd explodes in cheer as we hold the pose for a few seconds, Callie the first to relax and speak into her mic while waving at the fans. "Thank you! Thank you! You're all too kind! But the shows not over yet! What do you think, Marina?!" she shouts, pointing towards one of the loudspeakers in the square. "That's right! As a special treat to commemorate this surprise opening, the Squid Sisters along with some talented inklings are going to participate in an old fashion Splatfest turf war! The show will start in a few minutes so stay put to get details everyone!" Marina says with excitement, my head tilting slightly in confusing before righting myself for the fans. _That would explain why Clementine and Scurry had those bags earlier._

Callie and Marie lead us off the stage, wave and smiling while walking back towards the stairs and eventually turning around to descend them. The cheers follow us down the stairs and my body begins to ache from all the smiling and physical activity. A quick glance at Whinter shows a similar scene, his shoulders slumped in exhaustion as we stumble down the stairs. I smile weakly as we walk towards Sheldon, my hand offering him a hi-five that he slaps with glee. "Nice one, Sheldon. I guess I owe you," I say while trying to hide my exhaustion, his face smiling his usual smile as he shakes his head no. "It isn't a big deal and besides, you get to go test some weapons and get me more data. So...it's a win-win in the end." With the current level of exhaustion, I can't stop myself from snorting and smiling sarcastically at him. _Of course, there's an ulterior motive. An ink gun event without Sheldon collecting data from it?_

I'm interrupted by Callie and Marie who rush behind us and open the side door on the truck, Callie chuckling at the door as she tells us not to peak and shuts it behind her. Whinter and I finally slump where we stand, our heads lolling back as we move to nearby folding chairs and sit in them with exhausted thumps. My head lolls back as Sheldon interjects from nearby. "Oh, right! You need your gear for the event. I got it prepped right here." I don't turn my head towards him, keeping it craned upwards as I hear Sheldon open up a panel on the truck, the sound of clicking buttons eventually interesting me enough to look at what he's doing. My posture moves to attention when an underside flap on the truck extends outwards, opening up to reveal our gear from concealed compartments. A familiar looking Splattershot is on top of my clothes. "Is that...?" I start to say, rising from my seat and moving swiftly over to pick up the weapon.

"Yep! I refitted and rebuilt Glag's weapon inside and out. It's better than good now!" he says excitedly from behind me but I can't answer, standing there paralyzed for a few seconds and unable to really comprehend what he said. Slowly, my hands shaking reach forward to I pick up the ink gun, my mind marveling at the newness of it yet repelled by what the weapon represented. "This was under my bed...How did you get this?" I ask timidly and with no small amount of wonder while turning the ink gun over in my hands. "I got permission from both your sister and _the_ Sisters...that wasn't a bad idea, was it?" he blurts, sounding embarrassed at his own explanation. I smile at his response and take a few moments to collect myself, finally stutter out, "Far from it, Sheldon...now I really do owe you..."

I didn't hear anything he said after that, most of my attention now going to the weapon in my hands. It was exactly how I remembered it before purple ink ate into the material; a small tank connected to the main body with a hose loader, a cone nozzle to spray ink positioned in front of a hand grip, a lightweight design that's easy to handle. Yet despite the memory, it felt somehow newer and fresher, unstained by what happened to its owner. I eventually tune back into what Sheldon is saying when he states, "- and I did some modifications so this Splattershot so it will handle differently than its predecessor."

My finger quickly finds the button on the back of the ink gun's body, light pressure on the button morphing it into an Inkjet backpack. My hand idly goes to my waist to find Splat Bombs attached to my belt, the weapon gearing me up as soon as I wielded it. It took me a few minutes to form a response, a mix of sadness and excitement warring in my head. "This really means a lot to me, Sheldon...whatever you need, just let me know..."

"Oh, think of it as a service to a fellow Agent that I get to see put to the test in capable hands. Think of the data!" he exclaims but my mind starts to wander again, whatever else he says unheard as my hands turn the weapon upside down. _He only showed me it a few times..._ On the underside is a silver plaque under the handle with words written in tiny script.

 **Live for each other, die for others  
**

 **Glag** **Toyoshige, Agent 5  
**

My other hand rubs the plaque, the words smooth and cold as I read the words over and over again. _I failed, Glag...you died for me and I couldn't save you...I didn't even remember you..._ The emotions finally become too much for me to handle as I fall to my knees, my head down as I let tears run down my face with a choking sob.


	10. Side by Side

**Chapter IX: Side by Side**

* * *

Tears fall to the floor as my head stays low, anguish in my heart and my arms limp at my sides but with Glag's Splattershot still held in the right hand. _I let him die...I left him behind...He should be here, not me..._ A hand on my shoulder brings me out of my thoughts, my head turning to see Sheldon looking at me with obvious concern. "Kosh...Glag didn't sacrifice himself for you to suffer for the rest of your life...he wants you to live for him, not mourn him every waking moment..." My head points back downwards as I curse myself for saying my thoughts aloud again and trying desperately to calm down. It doesn't work, the mental hurt causing my eyes to close as more tears flow down my face. My hand lets go of the Splattershot as another choking sob comes from my throat and my right-hand moves to hide my face. Sheldon starts to rub the other half of my face with a cloth, cleaning off the tears enough for me to look at him.

Orange ink is running down his face from behind his goggles and he has to remove them slightly to wipe his tears away. "You aren't the only one that hurts from what happened that day...I blame myself too for not seeing the trap...but it's insulting to his memory that you're like this..." he exclaims almost feverishly, gesturing to Callie and Marie who are standing nearby. Clementine, Scurry, Whinter, and the two teams are standing there as well, silent for the exchange but some of them with tears of their own. Sheldon turns my face back to him, moving his hands to my shoulders and shaking them as his emotions enter his voice. "You aren't alone in hurting inside because I hurt a lot too! Don't act like you have to shoulder this alone because we can do this together!"

With my mind irrational from the sadness, I reach out suddenly and hug Sheldon tightly enough to hear him gasp in surprise, sobbing loudly as the feeling of helplessness finally comes out. "You're right! I've been...I was just thinking it was my fault! That _I_ left him behind! I'm...I'm sorry!" I say between sobs, Sheldon returning the hug awkwardly while rubbing me on the back with a sigh. "There's nothing to be sorry about...I'm just glad you finally understand...no one's blaming you..." he whispers, trying his best to be soothing as another set of arms moves around us. I look to my left to see Scurry with tears of her own but with a face that's embarrassed from showing public affection. She tries to pull away when her embarrassment becomes too much but I smile to myself and move my left arm over her shoulders before she can get away. "Hey! You're embarrassing me in front of everyone! Quit it!" she exclaims while trying to pull away, a brief laugh escaping me as I wipe more tears with my right hand and tighten my embrace around both of them.

Callie's Mini Splatling gives off a hum of its barrels rotating, the three of us turning our heads back to the group. "As much as I don't want to interrupt this touching moment, we have a show to do! Let's go shoot some ink!" she exclaims with a bright smile, the others nodding their agreement and it's then that I finally notice that each of them is wearing Splatfest tees displaying the ketchup bottle or mayonnaise jar. The real surprise comes when Marie and Callie's tees catch my attention. "Wait, you're playing on the same side this time?" I ask in surprise, Marie answers with a smile and a nod. "This is just a publicity stunt to give inklings something to talk about-"

"Yeah, I prefer ketchup!" Callie interrupts, raising her ink gun skyward and making a show of spinning the barrels again. _How is someone so thin and small able to lift that beast?_ "We're we headed?" I ask before Whinter points at the clothing still in the side compartment of the truck, a mayonnaise jar on the t-shirt. "Get out of the dress first...you don't want to ruin it with ink," Scurry whispers into my left ear and I quickly look down, snorting at forgetting such an important detail and letting go of Sheldon and Scurry to move towards the outfit. I catch the other exchange giggles and glances with each other while moving to pick up the change of clothes, ignoring it as I head into the changing room in the truck. _It's **much** more embarrassing to be in this outfit when the show's over. "_I'll be out in a second," I say behind me as I close the door, rapidly pulling off my costume and tossing it onto the couch in front of me.

The door opens as I start to pull on the t-shirt, a groan of frustration escaping me as I leave it half on in order to put my shorts on first. "I'm almost done! It's only been a few seconds! Just-" I say while throwing my clothes on, turning around to find Scurry in the room with her face downcast and Glag's Splattershot in her hands. She holds the weapon in front of her as she says, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...what I mean to say is..."

I don't let her finish, adjusting my clothing and moving across the room to take the ink gun from her hands, placing it on a nearby table and turning back to her to embrace her. She sobs softly as she does the same as I whisper to her, "Thank you...you did what I couldn't...you moved on from the memory and helped me forward as well...it's time to start living like Glag wanted..."

We move slightly away from each other, her head rising to kiss me as I return it with affection. The urge to blot out the pain by sharing ink right in the changing room is powerful but I reluctantly pull away from her kiss, lightly pushing her away but not leaving our embrace. Her reaction is surprising, smiling and blushing instead of the usual anger and outrage from the previous denial. "There's still a show to do...so let's not keep them waiting," I whisper, giving her another kiss as she smiles and let's go so that we can turn to leave.

The teams are waiting expectantly outside and all eyes turn to us as we exit, some of them looking at us with curiosity and surprise. Marie smiles at me in particular and taps on the right side of her mouth with a finger, my hand immediately moving to wipe off the cyan ink below my lip. Scurry mimics my movement with similar embarrassment and Clementine starts to whisper a few things to each of her teammate, each one responding differently.

Once I'm comfortable enough to proceed, I step in front of the group and put my hand palm down in front of me. "Let's bring it in. We don't have a lot of time," I say confidently, everyone quickly piling their hands on top of mine. "Let's give Inkopolis a Splatfest they won't forget. Ready?! Stay fresh!" I shout as all of our hands are raised to the sky and the chant is repeated by the others.

There's an ironic smile on my face at me being the one to say those words.

* * *

The teams finally start to walk out from behind the truck towards the checkpoint with the speakers blaring from above, "Looks like the teams are assembled and ready! Wait just a second...it that correct?! This is unprecedented! Marie and Callie are wearing the same tee! They're fighting on the same side!" Those closest to us in the crowd are taking photos and recording with their squidphones as we make final preparations. _Pearl's enthusiastic as always and the crowd can't stop cheering._ Sure enough, Pearl chimes in again over the loudspeakers. "Looks like it's gonna be a fresh experience this Splatfest! Let's see if the Squid Sisters are as dangerous on the turf as they are on stage!"

Marie and Callie are generally ignoring the crowd, completely focused as they double check their gear and only occasionally wave to the crowd. Whinter is to my left as we march towards the checkpoint, representing team Splat Jam with Logan who's on the opposing team. "Why Logan? Why not Marian or Vadelma?" I whisper to him in curiosity, Whinter giving me a toothy grin and nudging my side with an elbow in response. "He needs some time in the spotlight too..." he whispers back, pointing at Logan who's talking to Tanrine excitedly about the coming turf war. "I think he has a special someone he wants to impress," he iterates, my hand shoving Whinter shoulder lightly in response. "No, we aren't throwing the match so he can impress someone."

"It's not like we can. They have no idea what they're up against and I think only Clementine knows how bad it's gonna get," he whispers in a serious tone at odds with his grin, my face cringing as I remember the live ink drills. _Those poor inklings have no idea what's in store for them._ I look over to my right to see Scurry walking stiffly, her face neutral and posture rigid. "You OK? You seem a bit stiff," I say to her, putting a hand on her shoulder but causing her to jumps a little and nearly drawing one of the Splat Dualies from the sudden move. She has to calm herself down first before she can respond. "I'm just...not good with publicity..."

"Stage fright? Really?" I snicker as she pushes me slightly on the chest with an irritated face. "We all have our weaknesses, OK?! I'm just not good at being the centre of attention!" she blurts, trying to continue walking as if I didn't say anything and I start pondering to myself for a second. Suddenly, I find myself sweeping her off her feet and carrying her in my arms to her obvious panic. "What are you doing?! Put me down!" she exclaims, my face smiling as she tries to make me put her down by tapping me on the shoulder and head. "Gotta face your fears, Scurry!" I exclaim as her hands keep hitting me until she notices the number of squids looking at us and covers her face in embarrassment. _She doesn't feel that heavy despite the extra gear she has on. Maybe I'm just-_

 _Nope, nothing changed._ I put her back on her feet after a few steps and she turns back to me curiously, laughing when she notices me trying to relax my limbs. "Why did you think that trick would work again?" she gloats with a smirk and I continue to stretch my limbs to combat the sudden soreness, the crowd laughing at my antics. I wave to them in response and smile at them when my body feels less sore, cheers greeting my actions and Whinter nudging my right hip with a grin when he catches up to us. "Showoff," he shouts over the growing noise.

Marina starts commenting over the loudspeakers as we continue to walk. "Since Callie and Marie are taking time out of their busy schedules to be here today, they chose the stage beforehand and they chose none other than Starfish Mainstage! Look's like its gonna be a fresh show as well as a fresh battle!" _Starfish Mainstage? Lotta high ground and grates to prevent inking certain areas. Plenty of vertical pillars to block line of sight. And we have a sniper on each team, Marie and Clementine our crack shots with Splat Chargers. Logan adds long range with his E-Liter 3K, not to mention Angelo the Silent Splatter, Tanrine the Scout and Taloupe the Defender._ I whisper to Scurry and Whinter, having to move them closer so they could hear me over the crowd. "We need to be careful with the other team. It'll be tough to advance with that many defensive inklings."

Scurry shakes her head with a neutral face, the seriousness of the coming battle dampening her usual manner. "Marie's in charge and you know she'll have a plan," she whispers back, my head nodding as I understand.

 _Marie's a competent leader...we'll do fine..._

* * *

Team Vitamin Ink gets on the spawn point at the Battle Lobby before us, each member waving at us and the fans. We take our positions next to them with Whinter doing a dramatic bow and pointing down towards the spawn point with his characteristic 'after you'. Some of the others facepalm at his theatrics, probably seeing it as squishy instead of fresh.

Callie is the one who compels what comes next, whispering to each of us her plan with a grin and giving us a nod. As a group, we do a peace sign in front of our eyes with our left hands and put our right hands on our hips, holding the pose to the cheering crowd. Clementine is first to groan in embarrassment and slam a palm onto the activation button, the timer quickly counting down to transmission.

In a flash of ink, our group is sucked into the spawn point and rises from our respective team spawn points. I shake my head to get the access ink off, my hair now dyed white like everyone else around me. Pearl immediately starts shouting over the loudspeakers, "Alright, teams! This is gonna be a standard turf war! 3 minutes on the clock! Get all the turf you can! Team Mayonnaise, are you ready?!" We hold up our ink weapons over our heads and roar our readiness to the sky. "Team Ketchup, are you ready?!" Pearl continues and I can barely hear the shouting of the other team across the stage. Marie issues quick orders vocally before we start. "Whinter, take the centre stage and avoid getting splatted. Callie, go with him. Kosh, Scurry, take the flanks together. Keep the long-range squids off balance. I'll provide support. Questions?" Each of us responds with an affirmation, her head nodding as she responds, "I'll update as we go."

"Ready?!...GO!" Pearl shouts, Callie responding by pulling the trigger of her Mini Splatling to paint a path that Whinter runs over. As I dash forward, I catch Callie saying over the comm, "What!? I just wanted to shoot the big gun!" Scurry and I laugh as we start to run up the rightmost ramp, spraying ink as we go and arriving at the top swiftly. The music playing in the background stops me for a second. "Is that...Spicy Calamari Inkantation?!" I exclaim but Scurry doesn't answer, pushing me aside as a spray of red ink comes flying at us but misses, coating the ground where we once stood. "Pay attention, will ya?!" she shouts at me in annoyance but my mind is already judging the event. _That was an E-liter shot. Logan's covering the right side._ "We'll go around to the main stage!" I exclaim while diving off the platform, spraying ink mid-air to coat the ground before diving into it to absorb the fall. Scurry splashes down next to me and we both jump quickly forward to avoid another ink spray from Logan, pressing ourselves against the far wall and moving along it to get to the main stage.

Callie and Whinter are up ahead near the main stage, Callie spraying ink on everything in range with bursts while sliding into cover every so often to avoid return sprays from Clementine. Whinter is playing distraction, running around the top of the centre stage and dodging ink sprays as best he can while flinging ink off the stage to cover more turf. His luck runs out when Clementine finally gets a bead on him, splatting him in an explosion of red ink as Scurry and I slide into cover with Callie. Callie rises from cover and lets off another burst of ink before Clementine clips her in the right shoulder with a spray, forcing Callie to dive into the ink nearby to heal. She's grinning like a mad inkling when she rises from the ink. "This is fun but we're pinned at the moment! Let me change that!"

In a swift movement, she presses the button on the back of ink gun to morph it into Tenta Missiles, shouldering both launchers and looking through the wall to lock onto targets. "They're spread out! The most I can do is take out Clementine or Logan!" Callie shouts into the comm, Marie immediately responding, "Hold your fire. Kosh, Scurry, drive them into Callie's line of fire." I give an affirmative and look at Scurry as she readies her Dualies, answering my unspoken question with a nod with a grin of anticipation that matches mine. _Callie was right. This is fun._ "Any idea where-"

To my right, the sound of laughter draws me to Tanrine who's painting over our turf with her ink brush. "Tanrine's on the left side. Can you get her, Marie?" I quickly ask, a spray of white ink flying out in response and taking Tanrine in the head before she can continue. "Go now," I hear Marie command and immediately make a mad dash to reclaim the turf while doing our best to keep something solid between us and Clementine. Marie updates us as we start to paint the ground. "Clementine isn't moving positions. That's disappointing since we've gone over this. Aw, well..."

A spray of ink hits me in the back, knocking me forward a few steps. I hear Scurry turn around swiftly and spray ink behind me but upon turning around myself, the squid that had ambushed us quickly avoids the sprays. W _e weren't looking for Angelo and now he has the drop on us!_ Before I can raise my ink gun to spray, Angelo quickly dives back into the red ink as a white spray of ink hits the ground near him. Marie is on the comm in an instant. "Sorry about that. I was trading shots with Clementine. Whinter and Callie are moving up. Callie, Whinter, watch out for Taloupe and his Suction Bombs."

Scurry and I, now free from other assailants for the moment, finish painting the ground around us white before Marie chimes in again. "Good job, flank team. I need you to go back to the right side. Tanrine and Logan are trying to push up behind us." We both dive into the ink and move at speed back to the right side, Tanrine already there painting the turf but moving to cover when she sees us coming. "Sorry about this!" I shout at her as I bring up my Splattershot as we run at her, flinging ink in her direction and hearing Scurry follow suit with her Splat Dualies.

None of the sprays of ink come near her as she dances out of the way, most of the ink impacting the turf around us. "Kosh, lead your shots to pin her!" Scurry suggests, both of us starting to spray in opposing direction and push Tanrine's evasion into a specific zone. Before we can start landing ink sprays on her, however, an E-liter shot takes me by surprise and inks my head off. My body rises out of the ink of the spawn point and I press the button on my Splattershot to activate the Inkjet jetpack and angle myself towards where I got splatted, launching what blobs of ink I can at enemy turf while Marie makes another shot from her Splat Charger as I pass. Her voice is neutral when she gives another update. "Logan's down again. Callie? Whinter?"

"I got suction bombed! I'm heading back out now!" Whinter reports with frustration, Callie responding a moment later. "I still have these Tenta Missiles out and I don't want to waste it! Launching!" The Inkjet runs out as I reach the top of the rightmost ramp and I use the momentum to dive over the platform into the ink next to Scurry who's hiding behind cover. When I rise up beside her, I hear the sound of missiles firing and count the barrages in my head. _Two volleys...good enough..._

We both peak around the corner to see Tanrine rushing past our position, our heads tracking her in confusion at her being oblivious to our presence. She once again paints more of our turf with her Inkbrush and my head turns to Scurry who is readying her Dualies quietly as I sight turn back to sight down my Splattershot. Somehow, she here's us before we start spraying and tries to dive into cover but Tanrine is caught between two sprays of fire with no escape route. My initial excitement turns to disbelief as she leaps upwards and over the ink sprays, doing a flip in the air back towards friendly turf and diving under what ink streams we fling at her as she runs.

Scurry is still firing around the corner when I add unnecessarily, "How did she do that?!" All Scurry responds with is a finger pointing after Tanrine as she swims away. "Should we rush it?" she says with a grin, a grin appearing on my face as we dive out of cover and run along the pathway. Marie likely sees our icons moving because her voice chimes in as we start moving. "Don't push too hard or they'll roll up that line," she advises and I give my affirmative, spraying ink along the path as I ready myself to jump across the small gap. Scurry stops me before I can leap, a Suction Bomb landing on the spot I had just painted and exploding. We both jump back to avoid the blast radius as it explodes in a shower of red ink, immediately aiming different directions and panning our guns around to find the thrower.

"Where is he?!" I ask her desperately but all I see is a Suction Bomb land in front of me. "Above!" I shout as we both scatter in different directions, Scurry forced to cross the gap right into the enemy turf as the bomb goes off. I spray the area to go after her but my head snaps up when I hear ink sloshing, a torrent of red ink splashing downwards towards me and nearly splatting me on the spot if I hadn't noticed it and dodged backwards. _It's an ambush!_

Another spray of ink sounds in the distance as I see Clementine spray ink at Scurry who dodges the spray expertly. Tanrine is rising out of the ink behind her to attack with her Ink Brush and I respond by ripping a Splat Bomb off of my belt. The throw is too short and the bomb goes off near her but not close enough to do damage. However, to sudden explosion distracts Tanrine who turns around looking for her attacker, giving Scurry time to turn and spray ink at a cornered and unaware squid who explodes in a shower of white ink.

Another Suction Bomb lands right in front of me and I don't have enough time to get fully out of the radius. The detonation sends me skidding across the inky floor but I roll with the momentum, getting up in time to dive into the ink in avoidance of another stream of red ink splashing down from above. As I swim onwards and dodge a stream of red ink from above, the background song changes to signify that the end of the match is coming. _Tide Goes Out? Really?_

The minor distraction of the changing song costs me my life as another Suction Bomb lands almost on top of me, the bomb exploding before I can dodge and splatting me instantly. As I rise out of the ink of the spawn point again, Scurry rises out of the ink with me with a sigh. "Clementine got me," she mutters and I nod my head in understanding as we move back to the battle. "Taloupe wouldn't let me cross...at least you advanced..." I blurt while taking out my squidphone to quickly check the map. _We're barely winning by a thin margin..._

Callie laughs over the comm as the thought forms. "I'm going up the centre! Let them try to stop me!" Whinter also laughs into the comm. "I've got Kraken! Follow behind me, Callie!" Marie also chimes into the comm. "I'll move up as well and activate Bomb Rush once in range." We start to charge back up the right ramp as Whinter in white Kraken form storms forward and slams his tentacles into anything in range, Callie and Marie mopping up any survivors and painting the enemy turf white in our last gambit move.

"We'll make sure no one gets in behind us," I say into the comm, nodding at Scurry as we reach the top of the ramp. Tanrine is already below us, trying to ink as much turf as she can in the last few seconds of the match. Both of us turn our ink guns on her and start spraying ink in her direction but Tanrine responds by diving into the ink and swimming away, leaving us to ink the ground around us as quickly as possible.

"5...4...3..." we hear over the loudspeakers, Pearl counting down as the match nears its end. I look at my squidphone again, now seeing our team pull ahead on turf amount as my other hand sprays my ink gun around. _That last attack pushed into their defences too quickly...I think we won...  
_

"2...1...Finish!" Pearl shouts, the final whistle sounding to end the match. I fall down into a sitting position with a deep exhale, exhausted from so much action in such a short span. Scurry joins me in sitting, breathing hard and laying her head on my chest as my hand rests on her head. _I feel amazing and more alive than I'd felt in years..._ Marina starts to announce as we try and catch our breath. "Game Over! Let's see the final scoreboard!" I don't bother to look at my squidphone to see Judd's judgement, still trying to catch my breath. _I'll just wait till they announce it._ "Team Mayonaise wins 46% to 40%! A close match all the way up to the end! Let them know how they did, Inkopolis!" Marina shouts as she switches feeds, the loud cheering of fans now blaring from the loudspeakers. I barely notice it as my other arm moves around Scurry's front, holding her close to me as presses herself against me.

 _It was a good match._


	11. Afterparty

**Chapter X: Afterparty**

* * *

Before we left the turf, Marie had gathered everyone together to invite to invite them over to our house for a good meal and drinks. It meant that our next stop was the Fresh Emporium because we didn't have enough supplies at the house for extra guests. Callie even called Pearl and Marina on our way out to see if they wanted to come over but they politely refused, quoting that they're stuck hosting Splatfest until it ends. _The price of fame...performing for an entire 24 hours with minimal breaks._

Fans meet us when we rise from the main spawn point in the Battle Lobby, the cheers of greeting not interesting me because of exhaustion and hunger. I hear someone growl at me when I start slumping, my posture straightening to avoid the ire when I realize that it's Marie that growled. _I need to keep up appearances. The Squid Sisters like to get even instead of getting mad._ Marie and Callie step out in front of us, the rest of us following behind them as they wave at the fans and enjoy their celebrity status with smiles. I start to lose track of time as we wade through the throng of squids, some of them taking pictures and wanting our attention as we walk slowly out of the Battle Lobby and down the street.

No one else shows their exhaustion or embarrassment after witnessing how Marie had corrected me, my face grimacing at being made an example for the others but only holding my grimace for a second. As if sensing my displeasure, Marie half turns her head to the left with a face of irritation, a brief moment of stern neutrality before her happy returns. It's enough for me to fall in line and I hear Scurry trying not to laugh at my right, my right hand giving her a light shove on her shoulder in annoyance that she playfully returns.

 _I bet you're enjoying this..._

* * *

Before we even entered the glass doors to the Fresh Emporium, the group stops outside to subject Marie and Callie to a barrage of demands for what they want to eat and drink. Marie waits exactly five seconds before directing their demands at me stating that I'm better qualified at supply runs. I don't get time to voice any oppositions as every squid present turns to me and talks over each other to tell me what they want, my mind already shutting out all other distractions to fully listen to each demand. _Lavender tea, vegetable broth, chilli powder, tofu blocks, vermicelli, pickled radish, cucumbers, seaweed, soy sauce-_

Scurry pokes me on the cheek with a finger once the demands start to slow down, breaking me out of my mental state as she states with a knowing smile, "Did you get all that?" I respond with a nod and an about face, turning on the spot to head through the glass doors into the store but a hand on my left shoulder stops my progress. "You didn't confirm the list, Kosh," Scurry gloats with amusement from behind me, my head shaking as I turn back around and the hand leaves my shoulder. The jumble of information starts to organize in my head as I repeat what was said back to the group, each squid giving me a nod but some of them adding more to their list. _I'm grateful this is going on the Squidbeak Splatoon's budget...I can't afford all of this..._

I finally turn back around to enter the Fresh Emporium but am surprised when Callie and Marie follow on my left, Marie already starting to answer my question in her usual calm but stern tone before I ask it. "Since we're paying, we might as well assist you in gathering the ingredients. Plus...it's been too long since we went shopping-"

"A quest for party goods! Sounds exciting!" Callie interjects while rushing through the open doors with her arms extended like wings. My right-hand tries to go to my face at the sight but Scurry stops me mid-movement and directs me forward with a gentle push. _And Callie is my direct superior...life is strange..._ "I know it's an overwhelming amount of things to buy and the fame is starting to lay on thickly but try to keep it here, Kosh," Scurry gloats as she moves off to the side to pick up the shopping cart. My face is grim when I look at the first aisle, sighing out, "Zapfish, the amount of effort this is gonna take-"

"All in this together, right?" she chuckles, smiling at me as she taps my nose with a finger. The gesture puts a smile on my face as we start travelling down the aisle, the three other squids grabbing everything they needed off the shelves. "At least the others are keeping the fans at bay outside," I say with some amusement and gesturing with my head back the way we came. _They handle the fans, we handle the food. That was the deal._ Sadly, when I glance backwards, I can see the telltale sign of squids shadowing our progress and let off a growl of frustration. "Now I know this is payback. I can't come to Inkopolis anymore without being mobbed now-"

"You were the one who decided to go along with the stage performance and put your hips into it," Scurry snickers as she dumps more ingredients into the ever-increasing pile of food, taking time to point behind us at curious inklings that move away when we notice. "Besides, its not like they're in your face asking you for pictures and autographs. They just worship the ground you tread-"

"You aren't helping..." I groan but her face just grins back at me as she retorts, "I know but it's really fun seeing what I can get away with." Marie is quick to interject because I stopped moving forward during the conversation, her stern voice commanding me politely to walk and talk. Scurry gives me a chuckle at me getting in trouble again but I continue our previous line of thought instead of responding to her amusement. "I don't know about any of this but if I do get to superstardom, maybe I might need a running squid," I say sarcastically, stopping to pose with my hands but only long enough to illustrate my point. "I can see it now! Scurry the Reckless!"

"Oh, don't even joke like that or stardom won't be your primary concern," she hisses playfully, biting the air in emphasis while I wince as I remember the bite from this morning and involuntarily rub the spot she bit on my shoulder. My fingers brush against the skin with faint indents from her teeth, Scurry laughing as she sees me rub the spot. "And don't you forget it," she states with a grin and I smile at the irony of the statement but don't elaborate on it, opting instead to keep pushing the cart. We finally finish the first aisle and I sigh again as I turn the cart towards the second.

 _It's gonna be a long shopping trip..._

* * *

Eventually, we finish browsing every aisle and building a monument of food to show of to a bewildered checkout attendant at the register. She stares at us blankly for a few seconds and barely stutters, "Aren't you...I mean it is but...you're.." I reply with my name and offer a hand which she shakes a little too enthusiastically, stuttering out further, "Great Zapfish! It really is you! And you're here! I saw your match! So this is Scurry?" Scurry winks at her and salutes with two fingers to the attendant audible scream of excitement. _She reminds me of a more timid Tanrine..._ "You guys are so fresh! I've never seen anyone turf war like that before!" _OK, she reminds me of Tanrine..._

"Uh...thanks but...we need to feed the teams that fought in that turf war so-" I start to say but before I can continue, the attendant asks an unexpected question. "Can I come with you guys!? Please!?" she asks in a desperate yet sincere plea, Scurry and I exchanging glances and my head turning further to look at me at Marie and Callie who give me confused shrugs. _That's forward for someone we just met...it even left Callie and Marie confused..._ When I turn back, I start to say with clear confusion, "Uh...alright...so when do you-" The now overly excited attendant activates the intercom of the store and says to the shoppers inside that the store will be closing in ten minutes. Now well motivated, the attendant's arms move in a blur as she scans and bags the groceries with an excitement that leaves me bewildered. _Something is off about all this and I can't put my finger on it...I don't think I've ever seen overzealous fans before..._ She eventually asks for payment which I direct to Marie, stepping out of her way as she moves her squidphone over the register scanner to authorize payment. "I can't believe you said yes! This is gonna be FRESH!" the attendant shouts while handling the confused customers behind her with a speed and efficiency that I didn't expect. _  
_

An elbow nudges my side as I push the cart towards Callie and Marie who are waiting outside the glass doors with the fans. "I don't think it's the Squid Sisters she's excited about. Remember who you belong to, Kosh," Scurry whispers to me in a casual yet stern tone, my head turning towards her with a cynical look. "You know me better than that. I don't go for girls who aren't brave enough to force themselves upon me-"

"Oh, shut up," she says playfully, both of us chuckling as we start to gather the bags and ditch the cart. The new addition to our party aids us in carrying bags and quickly introduces herself as Launa before asking a thousand questions at once, some of them we refuse to answer. Team Vitamin Ink is nearby doing some poses for the squidphones while team Splat Jam is signing autographs and talking among themselves. Launa unexpectedly breaks from our group and rushes to give Whinter a surprise hug from behind that causes him to jump slightly. "It's really you! You're Whinter, right!?" she shouts excitedly, his head turning to regard his assailant and nodding as he looks back towards us in confusion as Marie addresses his question. "This is our guest of honor...without my permission," she states in a calm yet stern tone, my head turning away in embarrassment with a hand behind my head and bagged groceries following my arm. _Zapfish...I acted and didn't ask first...when is this day gonna end?_

Marie adds to my shame when she asks me for the next step in our adventure, my only response to tell her that it's her plan. "Are you sure? You seem to have taken over leadership just now so are you sure it's my plan?" she says in a tone that's calm yet commanding, my head quickly shaking no as I repeat my statement. She gives me a blank stare for a few seconds, her eyes boring into mine with a calm discipline before she nods her head and leads us away without further discussion.

 _Marie is in command...and I stepped out of line..._

* * *

We finally step out of the checkpoint into Octo Canyon after an unknown amount of time, my mind losing track as I'm forced to check the time on my squidphone. _It's getting close to midnight...has it really been that long?_ A flash of pin catches my attention as Launa rushes around to take in the sights with wonder. "Wow! This is Octo Canyon and isn't this in octarian territory?!" she asks aloud, my head tilting to the right slightly because I'm not sure who she expects to answer. "Technically, no," Scurry answers from my right with as much neutrality as possible but I can hear the undercurrent of annoyance. _The constant questions are taking their toll._ "This canyon is close enough to fall under Inkopolis jurisdiction but it's right on the borderlands of the octarian territories."

Launa screams again in glee while blurting a moment later, "That's so cool! I've never been outside of the city before! You guys are the BEST!" I fight the urge to facepalm but without Scurry to stop me, I lose the fight and put my right hand on my face. _I'm regretting this decision...I think Marie was right that I made a bad call..._ "I guess I'm...getting too excited...I'll...I'll tone it down..." Launa says timidly when she sees my gesture, some of her cheer leaving her face as she rejoins the group. I can't miss the hostile looks I start receiving from the teams, sighing to myself as I try to clarify my actions. "No, it isn't you. I'm just not used to new faces and social gatherings...it's been a while-"

"Since when were you _ever_ good at social gatherings?" Scurry gloats from my right, a grunt of acceptance coming from me as I nod my head. _That was never my speciality._ "OK...maybe I was never good at social gatherings. I just...act sometimes so don't take it personally. It's me being me." The words seem to work as intended because she mood returns as she rejoins the group, Marie signalling us to continue down the street now that the situation is over.

It a short trip to the house in an atmosphere of excitement but the house itself feels cramped with thirteen squids now occupying a space meant for six at the most. I try not to let it show that the mass of shoes piled sloppily at the front irritates me, mimicking the others by kicking off my shoes. Sheldon and Cap'n Cuttlefish are at our table already, Sheldon waving excitedly at us as we enter. "Welcome back, everyone! We were wondering when you'd get done in the city! I already parked the truck!" I take a moment to process his words even as I nod and start heading for the kitchen to drop off the ingredients. _It still surprises me that he's the only one that can drive the truck...then again, he did design and build it._ "I'm sorry I didn't call you to see what you wanted. It slipped my mind," I find myself saying but Scurry pushes my cheek with a hand before I can say more. "That's why I made sure to call him. I have what he wants right here." She holds up one of the bags in her hair tentacle, showing me a few cans of sardines. _I never knew that's what he likes to eat...I never actually asked though..._ Scurry is quick to redirect me towards the kitchen with a light shove, the usual squids following our lead.

"Alright, enough idling. I don't want to wait all night for dinner to happen."

* * *

We decided back on the turf that the victors cook the meal. Clementine tried to argue that Whinter needs her help to avoid hurting himself but I insisted that the winning team pay the price of victory, putting a hand on my chest to emphasize exaggerated pain. "Let Whinter handle the horrible suffering we must endure! He can handle the trauma!" I had said dramatically to her but seeing that she still wasn't convinced, I had whispered to her on the side, "I'll make sure he doesn't hurt himself." She still pouted at my answer but accepted the plan like everyone else.

The plan was sold until we arrive in the kitchen and find Vadelma already putting on an apron when we enter. "As much as I appreciate the offer of you doing the cooking for me, that seems so ungrateful since you invited us into your home and are feeding us out of your own pocket. I can't let the Squid Sisters do all of the hard work!" she says in her usual graceful demeanour, all eyes turning to me for confirmation.

I simply laugh and shrug in response while moving to put an apron on, confirming the ingredients and issuing tasks a few seconds later. Vedelma insisted on manning the stove and oven by herself, moving with a professional grace thanks to her career as a hostess. Scurry is helping me bread fish that I'm gutting on the centre count, Callie, Marie and Whinter handling sushi and noodles across from us. I look up when I hear a sudden gasp, fast enough to see Whinter drop some sushi fish and Callie grab it out of the air before it touches the floor. "Careful, Whinter. You can't eat it if it's floor food," she exclaims with a grin, his face embarrassed as he says his apologies and continues more carefully.

An hour goes before I even realize it and the temperature in the kitchen reaches uncomfortable levels despite the open windows. Vedelma finally turns off the stove and doesn't seem to sweat while the rest of us have buckets of ink running of our faces from the heat, some of us wiping it away with cloths and napkins. I let out a relieved sigh as I wipe away my sweat with a paper towel, making sure to wash my hands before plating everything with Scurry's assistance. "I thought you hated cooking," she asks me with a grim smile, moving her head over my shoulder as she hugs me. I don't answer immediately, trying to understand the sudden change myself. "I think I do...but I guess it's more tolerable with friends," I whisper while plating another fish. Once done, however, I take around in Scurry's hug and return it so that my face is closer to hers. "I guess I want to impress a certain someone now, too-"

"Stop doing that! Not in front of guests!" she yells while blushing heavily, pushing me playfully away to the chagrin of the other squids in the room. I chuckle lightly before turning back around to plate more food, my mind already changing back to the task at hand. _I'm not sure all of the food present can fit on the dining table._ "The main dishes and sides will go on the dining table...we'll have to pull in another table to house the drinks and utensils..." I say idly to myself, putting on the finishing touches and trying to make everything look elaborate. _Out of all the things I want to look fresh, food is the one thing I really care about._

 _"_ Already done," Marie says while plating sushi across from me, my head snapping up to look at her but finding her also plating with an eye for detail. _She is the leader after all...lead by example._ "So what are we waiting for? Let's get the food out there," I say with as much confidence as I can muster, waiting for the moment when Marie would chastise me for overstepping my boundaries. To my surprise, she simply nods her approval and waits for instructions as I clear my throat and give a rough plan on where everything is going.

* * *

The group starts to move the finished plates to the dining room, different looks on each face as we put the main dishes down. Angelo has his usual calm and content face on while Clementine is slightly dreamy and amazed at the spread. Launa squeals quietly in delight and Logan looks slightly embarrassed while sitting next to Tanrine who is also squealing silently in delight. Taloupe and Marian are collected and smiling to themselves, Taloupe with genuine happiness while Marian with tempered fury. Finally, Sheldon and Cap'n Cuttlefish share jokes with each other at the end of the table before realizing the table is being set and giving the food spread their appraisal.

It takes a few trips to get everyone on the table but once the food is set, we go back into the kitchen and bring out the drinks, jugs and teapots now covering one of the sub-tables. I take out my squidphone to take a few quick pictures before everything becomes chaotic. _I don't think I'll ever top this...but here's hoping I will one day._ "Why do you take pictures? Now that we cook so much, isn't it redundant?" Scurry asks from my left, looking over my shoulder as I take the pictures. I shrug to her in response and say while putting away my squidphone, "Old habits die hard. I'm always trying to improve how I do each time and it's easier to improve if I have a comparison." _I use it as a record of what foods apply to what guest too, a visual reminder for myself._

Seeing that the others are getting restless, I say to them in a loud voice, "Let's have a toast first before we dig in! What do you say!?" They all nod in agreement as I start to pour the drinks at the sub table, trying my best to remember who wants what and getting confirmations when I can't recall. I raise my glass of milk tea once all the cups are poured and shout, "To staying fresh and having good times! Let's not forget the ones who helped us get here and help us even now! Cheers!" Everyone gathers closely to clink their drinks together but some of the drinks slosh onto others. Marian starts to complain when she gets someone's drink on her face. "Ugh! You got it on my face! C'mon guys!" she shouts angrily, my face smiling and checking the others to see if anyone else is unfortunate. Logan is having milk tea cleaned off his blushing face by Tanrine with a napkin and Launa is also cleaning off her face from a splash of lemon tea, giggling happily to herself as she wipes it away.

I do a double take when I see a flash of something on her face. _Black hair...purple eyes..._ I blink a few times and her face is normal but the impression doesn't leave me easily. _What did I just see?_ I hear someone say my name from my right, jumping slightly and nearly spilling my milk tea. "Be careful! We made enough of a mess!" Scurry exclaims from my left, my hand already gently putting down my drink and sitting down in my seat. My voice moves to a whisper as I elaborate. "Did you see that?"

"See what? All I saw is the mess we all made with our drinks," she replies but I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, a feeling I had back at the Fresh Emporium. I try to write it off as paranoia but eventually, I tell Scurry to wait here and move from my seat towards Launa who's laughing and enjoying Callie and Marie's company when I come over. "Can you...meet me outside?" I ask her and she laughs and blushes, getting up and moving towards the door while Callie laughs loudly. "Already moving onto another girl, Kosh!? What a fresh inkling you are!" she gloats but I ignore her, my face set as I start to head towards the exit. _What am I doing? I'm acting paranoid...but I gotta make sure._

When I arrive outside, Launa is sitting on the porch with a stiff yet composed posture. She starts talking without turning around, something that makes me more cautious. "So...uh...Kosh? What did...did you want to..." _This is going to make me look like a stale inkling but I need to know..._ I immediately grab a hair tentacle and pull it, Launa quickly protesting in pain. "OW! Quit it! You're pulling my hair!" she shouts but not loudly enough for the others to hear. My teeth lock together in a snarl when I see what I saw earlier, her hair tentacle seeming to shift between black and pink. "Who are you? You aren't an inkling."

Soft, cruel laughter chuckles out at my hiss and she doesn't turn her head around, staying rigid and dropping her act in an instant. "So you did notice that blunder. That's unexpected," she states in an even, almost cruel voice. I don't have time to respond because a thunderous kick by Launa hits me in the gut and lifts me into the air on her foot, a quick front flip propelling me into the street. The landing is hard on the front but I roll further into the street, winded at the unexpected move and wondering how no one heard any of what was happening. The face of Launa starts to shift as she approaches me, her hair tentacles growing wildly and her eyes changing from amber to purple. Her proportions changing into something taller, deadlier, aerodynamic and above all, not an inkling.

The face she now wears nearly causes me to panic as I find Drosyn staring me down with those same purple eyes that haunt my dreams and a calm, calculating stare that measure my weaknesses. "No...you can't be here..." I say in denial aloud, my mind recoiling at the impossibility. _I couldn't forget those eyes. Is this a hallucination?_ My gut jolts in response from the pain of her kick, a hand moving to rub the spot. "I am here, little inkling. You are far too trusting of strangers but before I do anything, I need an answer from you. Why am I here?"

The question is strange and my mind is prepared for it, my head shaking as she casually walks closer with arms at her sides. The tactical part of my mind kicks in and notices she has no visible ink guns or gear at her disposal. The force of her kick, however, tells me that she doesn't need any. _She might be capable of tearing me apart with her limbs alone._ "To finish what you started all those years ago? To splat me?" I groan out, my stomach throbbing slightly as my body tries to recover.

She laughs darkly at my answer, her face not changing in its neutrality but now showing her sharpened teeth. "An interesting answer but wrong. You are far more valuable alive than splatted. Your friends, however-" she says but I don't let her finish, rushing forward and throwing a left-hooked punch followed by a right at her face while she was distracted. Her head inclines slightly to avoid both punches but I wasn't done, pushing my body forward in a right shoulder charge to try and knock her down.

It doesn't connect, Drosyn dancing her body around me as she slams a fist into my exposed back. I hit the floor hard and gasp from the impact but rapidly get back up to keep her in a line of sight, her arms still at her sides and eyes passive as my back now faces the house. I crouch into a defensive stance and ask cautiously, "You didn't answer me 2 years ago. Why are you doing this? I have no intention of continuing my brother's mission and you made it clear that it was foolish."

She's a good head taller than I am but she strikes back with a speed that belies her size. I barely evade and block her measured kicks and punches. _Three attacks. Four. Five._ The sixth attack clips my hip and the seventh attack hits my back again, knocking me to the ground. She picks me up by the back of my shirt with a single hand and tosses me back into the street into another hard landing on my front. I try to get up again quickly but a foot stamps down on my back, forcing me back into the dirt and causing me to gasp in pain. _She's hitting the same spot on purpose...and it hurts..._ I can't look up but I feel her presence leaning down over me. "You are so weak, little inkling. You think you have strength after all this time but you do not. You cannot even beat me, let alone what I fight. You don't deserve the ink in your body and-" _The ink in my body...this is suicide but...  
_

I ignore her next few statements, forcing ink into my right hand and slamming the glowing palm down onto the ground. An explosion of cyan ink blasts outwards and the weight on my back lifts as I hear a scream, loud and menacing at such a close range. My vision blurs slightly and my hearing buzzes for an unknown amount of time as my body fights blacking out from ink loss. It takes all my effort to get off the ground and move to my knees.

The ground around me is painted cyan, my dizzy gaze finally finding Drosyn in a crumpled heap a few meters away with smoke rising from her from the burning ink. I focus on stumbling over to her, barely able to stand and eventually falling to my knees next to her body with my arms useless at my sides. She was still alive and looks at me with pained eyes, whispering in a cracked voice, "You...just like he did...all those years ago..."

Something had changed because tears of purple start to run down her face as she closes her eyes, her body seeming to sag as she struggles to breathe through the pain. My mind starts to jumble at the mixed inputs. _T_ _his isn't right...this isn't how it's supposed to be...this doesn't feel like the right choice...I want revenge but...she can't fight back now and...  
_

My body makes the decision for me, my face grimacing at moving useless limbs as I grab her arms and move her onto my shoulders. She flops onto my back and I nearly collapse to the ground under the weight, steadying myself and trying to remain upright before walking slowly towards the house. The others must have heard either the roar of pain or the Splashdown because some of them come outside and start shouting something I can't hear. Scurry and Whinter run to me and asking question in front of my face as I stumble onwards. I can barely speak and I try to tell them to move but they don't leave, putting my arms over their shoulders as I head towards the downstairs bathroom. "Ko...at happ...who i...?" I hear through my fuzzy hearing and I couldn't tell who's speaking. Eventually I find myself slowly putting Drosyn's body into the downstairs bathtub, grabbing one of her hands and pressing the thumb to the bath fixture. A dull chime sounds as the tub starts to fill and my mind doesn't remember arriving at the bathroom at all. "...osh! Who i...what ar...and..." I hear again but I feel my body finally give into exhaustion, my eyes closing as I feel myself falling forwards.

* * *

When I'm finally able to open my eyes, Scurry is laying on me with her mouth over mine in an attempt to push ink into my body. Around her is the rest of the squids from the party watching the procedure, looks of concern and sadness on their faces. I roughly smile as I swallow the ink in my mouth and lightly push Scurry back enough to speak. "I thought...you didn't like attention..." I say before coughing a few times, some of the ink in my throat coming out. Scurry's response is to growl and slap me on the shoulder she had bitten earlier that day, causing it to sting as she shouts at me, "You stupid inkling! You could've splatted yourself! Don't EVER do that again! I just...I..."

Cyan tears start to flow down her face as she cringes angrily, my arms already pulling her into a hug but regretting it slightly when the limbs pulse in pain. "What would I do without you...I don't want to lose another brother..." she sobs as I brush her hair tentacles with my right hand. _My body hurts...but I can get over it..._ The room is deadly silent except for Scurry's sobs but when she finally quiets down, Marie comes closer to us and judging from her posture, the news is dire. "We've identified the octarian downstairs and it's indeed Drosyn. What little evidence we have from you and what little reconnaissance we've had about her confirms this. She's currently unconscious downstairs but that ink bath you put her in saved her a painful splatting."

Guilt starts to flood my system with her words. _I knew something was off and didn't say anything...I overstepped my authority with Marie..._ I reply glumly when I'm able, "This is my fault...I invited her to our home and now...she's right here in our midst-"

"Hey, don't get all mushy! You won against the best rogue octarian agent they have! Give yourself some credit!" Whinter interjects from the other side of the room and I laugh a little before grunting in pain. _Good old Whinter...I can't ask for a better friend..._ Callie is next to interject, turning to the others in the room and saying, "Sorry to cut the house party short but this is kind of classified information. We'll make it up to you some other time." The others nod and start to file out of the room - Our room once I realize where I am - with looks of concern on their faces but not disobeying Callie's request. _How close was I to being splatted? Would the checkpoint have saved me at all?  
_

I'm left thinking such things as Marie waits until the others exit the room, leaving just the Agents standing around. Cap'n Cuttlefish and Sheldon enter moments later and Sheldon starts reporting his findings. "Drosyn has incredible adaptive properties for an octoling. Her skin, body shape, hair tentacles, eyes colour, and even her voice can change at will. It explains why we haven't been able to track her at all! She might've been hiding right under our nose all this time!" The thought of a deadly enemy this close to us all this time is not a comforting one. _But how did Sheldon know all that so quickly?_ "I got a sample of her ink and ran it through a quick analysis. You've been out for a few hours and we thought you we're-"

Before the thought of being unconscious for hours sets in, the Cap'n coughs to interrupting Sheldon. "This event is not to leave this room and I'll make sure that the other inklings don't spread word of what's happened here tonight. Drosyn is to be treated with hospitality but with extreme caution and if she is indeed an enemy, we must be prepared to do what is needed."

With the end of his command, he starts to hobbles out of the room and I notice that he's moving a bit slower than normal, coughing slightly as he exits. I look at Callie and Marie at the other side of the room to find them looking uncomfortable. "He's getting worse, isn't he?" I ask aloud, surprised at how hoarse my voice sounds. Marie nods once before answering slowly. "At most, he has a few more years left to live. His ink making processes are slowing down much faster then he admits and he's getting sick more often." I can tell from the slight breaks in her voice that this whole situation is hard for her. _It's hard for all of us because the Cap'n **is** the Squidbeak Splatoon. He's family to all of us but he's a hundred years old and won't last forever..._

Scurry interrupts me by nudging my cheek with hers, whimpering slightly in sadness as smile forms on my face. I let the painful thoughts slip out of my mind and let instincts take over slightly, moving Scurry in front of me and kissing her gently in front of everyone. Some of the others snort in annoyance when they see this and I push Scurry away enough to address them.

"Can you give us the rest of the night? There's something I need to do..."


	12. Arrangement

**Chapter XI: Arrangement**

* * *

I didn't wait for any answers from the others in the room, passionately kissing Scurry and lifting up her shirt to move my hands along her back. I hear Callie saying something about wanting to watch us but hear her complain a few seconds later as her voice moves away. My eyes close as I let the moment stretch out, enjoying the sensations and closeness of the one I care about.

I grunt slightly when my body twinges in pain and Scurry pushes me away slightly when she feels me twinge. "Take it easy, Kosh...you're still weak..." she whispers to me and to emphasize her point, my face grimaces as my arms start to go numb. "Kosh, we can do this tomorrow or when you're better..." she insists and I find rational thoughts start to fight with my growing instincts, my body telling me multiple things and pulling me in multiple directions. An exhausted sigh escapes me as I gently hug Scurry under her shirt and let her cheek rub against mine. "It was pretty bad, wasn't it? How long was I out?" I ask her in a whisper, her voice also a whisper when she replies. "Three hours. You lost much of your vital ink and lost consciousness. I gave you much of my ink to keep you stable because we couldn't wait for the ink bath." _That's dangerous and_ _might've splatted her too._

"I guess you're feeling a little weak too?" I whisper in reply and her cheek briefly rubs against mine in a nod. My right-hand moves to her hair tentacles with some difficulty, barely able to stroke at all. "Maybe an ink bath will help? It helped out Drosyn-"

"Why did you spare her?" she interrupts, her anger barely contained and sapping any pleasantness of the mood. I choose my answer carefully but remain honest. "It didn't feel right when I was there...I know I have no valid reason to spare her but I can't shake the feeling that...something is wrong about this..." I retrace the fight as best I can in my head, noting the missing patches in the memory. _She had plenty of opportunities to splat me or bleed me of ink during that encounter but she took none of them. I wasn't sure what she would do if I didn't use a Splashdown._ I say as much aloud but Scurry doesn't respond, asking instead for me to continue my explanation. _Why didn't Drosyn try to splat me? All she was doing during the fight was play with me and flaunt her superiority._ The answer to her question finally surfaces with the last of my thoughts. "We need answers and of all the answers I want, I want to-"

"You want to know why she splatted Glag," she says bitterly and I nod lightly as she pulls back, staring at me eye to eye with a serious expression on her face. "What makes you think she'll tell you?" she asks me, the bite of her words mirroring her hostile expression. I sigh to myself and look away, feeling like I made another foolish choice in the spur of the moment. "Maybe being defeated or spared her life might make her talk and if she won't talk, at least we can learn about the rogue octarians and how they think. There are obvious risks but the choice is already made."

I chuckle a bit as a thought occurs to me through the exhaustion, my mood shifting slightly away from the dire situation. "I guess I'm a poor Agent. I disobeyed what Marie ordered on multiple occasions," I say weakly, feeling myself tire as Scurry laughs in response. "Stick together and stay alert?"

"Yeah..." I whisper, drifting off again and my eyes closing. I hear her voice before I pass out.

"Just sleep, Kosh...I'll be right behind you..."

* * *

My eyes snap open and a gasp escapes my throat as disorientation kicks in, the outside light now bright through the blinds. "Kosh, what's wrong?" I hear from my chest, looking down to see Scurry laying on me but still double checking my surroundings. Once I'm reoriented and not in a panic, I eventually respond, "I'm fine...just a little disoriented...what time is it?"

"It's around noon. You slept most of the day away," she replies in a whisper, rubbing my head in an attempt to calm me down. My body feels a little better but still weak from ink loss and the idea from the previous day resurfaces when I start moving. "I think I need an ink bath," I state while trying to rise, Scurry moving off me and helping me into a sitting position. My legs swing to the edge of the bed and I wince as pain stings my body again, dull and annoying as my hand touches a tender spot on my hip. Scurry quickly moves off the bed and puts my arm around her shoulder, whispering to me as she starts moving me, "Take it easy. Let's move slowly and get you to the bathroom."

Even standing takes extra effort because my legs nearly collapsing from under me as soon as I'm upright. Scurry keeps reassuring me that she won't drop me as we start to make slow progress forward, every part of my body starting to hurt all the way there. _I guess my body is struggling to heal the damage with the limited ink I have._ Scurry opens the bathroom door with a hair tentacle and sits me down on the toilet, using her thumb to activate the bath fixture as I sit there in a daze. "Hey, stay with me. Try and focus on me," she says in front of my face with a look of concern but my head keeps swimming in and out of focus. Scurry starts pulling off my shirt and shorts with arms and hair tentacles before leading me gently into the tub to fall into the ink with a splash. Feeling the refreshing liquid around me, I close my eyes and let the ink around me be absorbed into my skin, the pain slowly ceasing and my head clearing with each passing moment. A minute of floating later, I let out a refreshed sigh and sit up in the tub, feeling much better and focused.

"Thanks, Sis," I tell Scurry as she uses the toilet who blushes when I use her nickname. "It was nothing really...so just relax and recharge." she stutters as she quickly finishes and tries to move to wash her hands in the sink. I grab her gently by the shirt and tug her towards me, her head slightly turning and smiling at me wondering what I'm doing. "We didn't get to enjoy this yesterday so...why don't we try today now that we aren't in a hurry?" I'm able to say through my own growing embarrassment. _We're in a hurry since Drosyn is still downstairs but what she said yesterday still upsets me...I don't want to make her feel ignored..._

She doesn't take much convincing, quickly grinning and pulling off her clothes quickly before pushing me onto my back in the tub and laying on top of me. Her arms wrap around my neck as she starts to kiss me aggressively, my arms wrapping around her back as we close our eyes and let the sensations take over. Her tongue brushes my teeth and tongue again and I return the favour, plenty of time taken to relieve the built up stress of everything that's happened in such a short span.

It takes us a while to stop, touching foreheads and sighing in relief as I feel rejuvenated emotionally. "Zapfish, that felt good..." Scurry exhales, the ink displacing slightly in the tub slightly as she kisses me a few more times. "Did you take a bath before me?" I ask her between kisses, her head nodding with a smile she continues. My hands start to move lower, rubbing the back of her body as they move and making her stop kissing when my hands touch her rear. Her smile becomes a grin when she notices, cyan ink dribbles down her lip from a moment ago. "Someone's frisky today," she playfully says as she continues her aggressiveness, my hands moving back to her upper and lower back out of instinct. _I'm not really sure I'm being frisky or not...this is all new to me..._

"You're terrible at romance. What happened to that first time with all the passion?" she whispers between kisses, my mind trying to recall what's so different about the first time. _I just let instincts take over the first time and things happened._ I try and explain myself as she continues to show her affection. "I just don't feel as...comfortable letting my instincts do this for me. I don't want that to be the reason I do this..." I whisper, not quite sure if I'm answering honestly or not.

"Then let's learn how to make this work," she replies with a growing grin, her body reorienting itself so that she's sitting on me as her hips thrust downward, making me enter her with an exhale of relief. She persists by grabbing my hands and moving them to her chest, my hands rubbing her breasts in response as we start to move our bodies slowly. Scurry smiles at me as I do what she wants. "Just relax, Kosh and let me handle this-"

My body says otherwise, rising out of the tub and removing my hands from her chest to embrace her back. She looks at me in surprise and wraps her arms around my neck awkwardly, now looking unsure of what to do. "We're in this together, remember?" I whisper in her ear, her cheek rubbing mine gently as she whispers back, "Now you're getting it..." Words cease as I find my own instincts taking over again, my mouth meeting hers as we let the pent-up frustration and sadness wash away. _Why am I thinking so hard about this? What did it matter that I let instinct take over? So long as she's fine with it, it really doesn't matter._

She licks my face at one point and surprises me with a serious claim. "I love you..." she whispers and it takes me by surprise, my mind unable to respond quickly enough on its own. "Say it..." she persists and I gulp a little before responding timidly, "I..love you..." She holds me closer in desperate sadness, putting her head on my shoulder and sobbing lightly sobbing lightly to herself. "Was that so hard to say?" she says as I feel ink start to touch my shoulder with her tears. I sigh in reply as I rub her hair tentacles in an effort to calm her down. "No...it just took me off guard is all...no one has ever said that to me before..." I whisper and my eyes catch something in the bathroom doorway. I push her back suddenly and move her forehead to mine, whispering to her, "Someone's outside-"

"So?" she gasps, leaning in to kiss me aggressively with a happy smile, my eyes widening at the boldness but closing in acceptance. _I guess she's okay with someone watching..._ As I rub her hair tentacles with a hand, her hair tentacles move to rub my head as well but my mind keeps going back to a housemate in the doorway watching all this happen. I finally reach my limit and pull Scurry close to my body as my ink sprays out, her ink mixing with mine as we both yell loudly from the release. My body relaxes almost immediately after and the only thing keeping me upright is Scurry leaning against mine, our hands still around each other as we try to slow our breathing. "That felt great...we should go again..." Scurry whispers over my shoulder, my head trying to nod but unable to because of the sudden wave of calm. "How long are we going for?" I ask her but instantly regret asking, her sigh enough of a rebuttal to make me feel bad. "We'll pick this up later because I guess we need to go back to other things..." she whispers, pulling herself away from me and getting out of the tub. I follow her out of the tub and am thankful that my body can move under its own power now, my left hand already grabbing a towel off the rack on the wall. The towel moves around Scurry to dry her off, her face smiling into the mirror as I rub it across her body. "That was a great experience. We need to try that again sometime," she says into the mirror and I respond casually while getting rubbing her back, "You name the time and place."

Her face grins ruefully at my answer. "Jeez, at least take me out to dinner first," she states in mock annoyance and I smile in return, already moving to dry off Scurry's lower half. "Is that the newest condition?"

Her head nods as her hair tentacles grab another towel off the rack and her eyes use the mirror to watch what she's doing. I shake a little bit to get access ink off as she dries me off. "Quit squirming. You're getting ink everywhere," she exclaims, my movement stopping to make it easier for her to dry me. She turns around and continues to dry me off but also to allow me to dry her front. She grins at me while exposing her front to me. "Tempted?" she whispers to me in open invitation, still drying me off as she grins at me.

I don't answer because my hands to toss aside our towels and pick her up by the waist, moving her gently to sit on the counter. Her grin widens as I start to kiss her again and she lets out a moan into my mouth as I push myself into her for the second time, her arms and hair tentacles pulling me closer as we start to share ink again. _Maybe I'm the bad one here..._ Scurry doesn't seem to care about my bold move, kissing and moving as much as I am during the encounter. "Whats gotten...into you...today?" she asks as she locks her legs around my lower back, panting as I continue to show her affection. "I don't...want you to feel...ignored," I gas in reply, holding her back as she giggles a little and tightens her hold on me. Our bodies tense as more of my ink enters her body, another loud moan of release coming from us as we reach the end and collapse slightly into each other. I look down in exhaustion, panting in rhythm with Scurry and noticing that our ink is starting to coat ourselves and the counter. "I guess...I'll clean that up..." I gasp through hard breaths, part exhilaration and part exhaustion. Her response is to lean my head back upwards and kiss me a few times before answering. "You made...the mess...you clean it...up-"

Instincts take over again as I smother Scurry with another kiss, her body wrapping around mine as I attempt to give her all the ink I have to repay her for all the times I blew her off. I end up switching places with her by picking her up by the waist and taking her seat on the counter, our bodies clinging to each other again as we continue our affection with minimal interruption. No more words are exchanged as whatever reservations we have about sharing ink crumble in the face of passion, the only appropriate language left being touch and gesture as both make sure no part of our bodies is left untouched.

My mouth keeps whispering I love you every so often to her growing embarrassment, her face breaking away from mine at one point to address me. "Quit it...you're embarrassing me now..." she whispers before kissing me further, her words not as firm in their stance as before. "I just thought you should know..." I whisper back and she retorts by breaking her kiss and placing her forehead on mine with a grim smile. "You're terrible at romance..." she whispers as our bodies keep moving and I chuckle lightly to myself. "Then teach me how to romance you...you can't fault me if you don't help me-"  


"I can fault you...but are you really comfortable learning what makes me...me?" she whispers with a little uncertainty even as we continue to share bodies. I stop for a moment and bring her into a hug, my left hand brushing her hair tentacles as I respond, "I should be the one saying that-" There's something new when we kiss this time, an acceptance that wasn't there before that made everything seem brighter and happier. Tears roll down my face for reasons that I begin to understand, the reason so simple yet elusive until now.

 _I'm flawed...but you accept me anyway..._

* * *

The mess is substantial once we finally wind down enough to stop ourselves, cyan ink coating the counter, ourselves, and even parts of the floor. I pull Scurry towards me one last time to share what little ink I have left before both of us weakly groan in exhaustion and collapse into each other. My legs start to throb from standing for too long and only then do I remember that we were in a hurry. Reluctantly, I pull away from her and her limbs release my body slowly. She doesn't move initially, panting to herself as ink oozes out of her and her arms prop her upright on the counter with an exhausted smile on her face. "I guess we overdid it..." she pants as she tries to move slowly off the counter, my arms keeping her stable as she starts to wobble. I end up losing my balance, tumbling onto the toilet with her in tow and a thump of skin on porcelain. "Maybe we...should've eaten first..." Scurry pants while attempting to stand up, only succeeding in collapsing into my arms again. "Yeah...we overdid it..." I pant back with a rough smile, also attempting to stand but also succeeding only in collapsing.

It takes us a few minutes to gather up enough energy to move, all the while laying in place and trying to catch our breath. Scurry is the first one who's able t move unaided and I follow suit with difficulty, grabbing both towels off the floor and starting to wipe everything down. Scurry giggles to me as she exits the bathroom first. I finally see who's been peaking in on us when I notice Callie at eye level in the doorway, her head moving out of the frame when she tries to hide. "Callie, we know you're there so you can come out now," I croak, not sure if I'm heard or not but given no answer, I assume that I'm not.

I shrug mostly to myself and take a few minutes to clean up the mess, both towels now soaked with cyan ink as I exit the bathroom with them in hand. Callie is sitting in the nearby chair across the room and I stop in my movements to ponder how weird it is to see her in normal clothes instead of her stage clothes or Agent clothes. "You guys really get into it when you're motivated. I mean, not physically..er..maybe also physically but..you get what I mean," Callie stutters while averting her eyes slightly in an attempt not to look at me.

"Why are you so curious about this, anyway?" I ask, turning slightly to my left to catch the clothes that Scurry tosses at me and starting with putting on the shorts. As I do so, it occurs to me that I'm talking to one of the Squid Sisters naked and I start blushing slightly in embarrassment. Callie grins back at me when she notices me move faster in clothing myself. "Oh, don't worry about modesty! I just saw you guys sharing ink in the tub and on the counter and you're embarrassed about being naked now?" I don't answer, quickly pulling on my shirt and moving to sit next to Scurry on the bed who doesn't seem affected by my embarrassment. _I'm not comfortable allowing Callie to see me naked._ "You didn't answer my question," I state as I plop down with a sigh, Callie grinning at us again as she elaborates. "I just wanted to see what it looks like...being with another inkling, snuggling out the troubles, sharing each other's bodies and-"

"Okay, I get it," I interject, holding up a hand and eventually bringing it to my face to try and hide my blushing. _This whole situation is embarrassing and she's far too casual about this._ Something clicks in my head as I bring my hand away, a peculiar thought that I'm not sure I want to answer to but start asking anyway. "Wait...you wanted to see what it looks like...have you never seen-" I ask and am surprised when Callie looks away from us in embarrassment. In an irritated tone, she eventually answers, "Well, if we're being honest...I haven't shared ink with another inkling yet nor have I seen it in person."

I find her statement hard to believe and my face displays an expression of surprise at the information. "But...you're Callie! You're one of the Squid Sisters! Hundreds of inklings are lining up to share ink with you! How can you not have shared ink yet?!" I stammer and Scurry pushes my face lightly with her left hand to make me settle down. It doesn't work and my mind continues to recoil. "I'm always either on tour with Marie, doing Agent stuff, or going to fan events," Callie retorts, still not looking at us out of embarrassment but I didn't really see it as my world is flipped on its head. _I've always assumed she had the most experience with other inklings than the rest of us because of the way she acted...but that assumption was wrong..._ "But...what about Marie? I'd always thought that you two are...together..." I say with a diminishing level of confidence throughout, Scurry turning towards me in confusion at my statement. Callie dips her head forward and blushes further before answering. "We...we haven't gotten that far!...and we're both so busy and she doesn't really give off the vibe of wanting-"

Even as Callie starts to rattle off a long list of reasons, I slowly start to stumble around inside my own mind instead. _Am I really the first one out of all of the older Agents to share ink with someone? I'm only 16 for zapfish sake...barely into adulthood! What does that say about Scurry, who's 2 years my junior?_ This new information makes my head spin and I have to steady myself with my hands on the mattress. When I turn back to Callie, I try to remain calm but fail. "Are you...trying to research how it's done?" I ask in a stutter and Callie doesn't move from her current position. "Um...I mean...if you don't mind..." she starts to say before trailing off and I look at Scurry on my left in bewilderment, a similar degree of mild shock on her face. _Callie, one of the Squid Sisters, is asking me and Scurry to share ink with her watching so that she can learn how it's done...what do I even say to that?_

My first response is to dip my head and sigh at the situation I find myself in, calming myself down as much as I can before lifting my head back up to stare straight. "This is a group decision so Scurry, what do you think?" I ask her with as much confidence as I can muster but my second response inside my head is no. _Isn't this what squidphones are for? There are so many inklings recording what they do in private that Callie can collect an entire library of research to use-_ "We're going to help her," Scurry states in an even tone and my head jerks to look at her in growing bewilderment. "WHAT!? Just like that!?"

"She's asking for our help and I don't think I can conscious turning her down. C'mon, it's already taboo what we're doing now so the least we can do is help someone out," she states but I can tell from her look that she wasn't sure of her decision either. My head flops back as I groan into the air, realizing that the decision falls on my shoulders now. _As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with her logic...a fellow Agent, pop idol, and friend is asking for our help and I'm thinking of turning them down?_ I make sure to stay neutral in body and face while looking at Callie before answering. "OK...just...let's avoid going overboard," I finally say and Callie turns bodily towards us with an excitement that scares me. "No weird stuff...that's my terms," I elaborate but I don't think she hears me because she leaps out of the chair and attaches to me in a flying hug, nearly knocking me over where I'm sitting. Her face starts enthusiastically rubbing mine as she starts exclaiming, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Alright, alright! Settle down!" I say as I try to push her away with my hands but her grip tightens and I cringe as I hear something pop around my chest area. "OK, too much! Easy on the grip!" I say through wheezes, Callie letting go of me in a heartbeat and rushing out of the room with visible excitement. "I can't wait to tell Marie about this!" she exclaims as she leaves us in the room, my immediate response to lie down on the mattress and try to make sense of what just happened. _How far is this going to travel?_ "That...went...well," I hear Scurry say from my right, my body rising out of bed and sitting on the edge with an odd sense of calm. "One day at a time, I guess..." I mumble as I move to a stand and head for the hallway door, wondering as I open the door how my life got so complicated in such a short span.

 _It's only been two days._


	13. Ignorance

**Chapter XII: Ignorance**

* * *

Scurry and I head downstairs to the sound of laughter and squids having a fun time. It's a strange scene seeing everyone enjoying the leftovers from yesterday at the table, smiling and talking about turf wars when there's a potential enemy in our midst. Clementine is telling a story as we approach the table. "-and then he tries to ambush me. I just turn towards him smoothly and release the trigger and splat! Didn't stand a chance!" she shouts, the others laughing slightly but Whinter chuckles nervously in response. "We did win that one-" he tries to say but Clementine interjects immediately. "Only because Marian launched another ink strike at the last second! To this day, I still say that was a stupid plan even though it worked!"

She drinks some tea after finishing her rant, Scurry and I just looking at each other in confusion when Whinter notices us standing around confused. "Hey, look who decided to come down! C'mon, the food isn't going to last if you don't eat it now!" he exclaims with his signature grin of excitement, both of us walking around the table and greeting those we pass. We don't hesitate to grab some leftover sushi and rice, scarfing down enough to stave off the exhaustion before sharing a plate among both of us. Only after I'm full of food do I look around the table and I nearly leap out of my skin when I see Drosyn sitting across from us with eyes that are looking in my direction as well. Numerous plates are in front of her with nothing on them save empty space. "Don't worry! She's much more civil after you feed her! I don't think she's eaten well in a while," Whinter says from his seat when he notices our looks of bewilderment. "I haven't eaten in fourteen days," Drosyn says casually from across the table, her calm, controlled voice at odds with her penetrating gaze. _It didn't feel like fourteen days from the amount of force she kicked with when we fought._ I awkwardly try to talk to her from across the table but end up asking in a stutter, "So...are we...good now?"

"If you are asking if I still desire to splat you, the answer is no. I made my intentions clear last night," she states, taking a gentle sip of milk tea and snatching more food with her left hand from the pile in the centre of the table. Sharp teeth flash as she tears into the food with savagery but as soon as the food is down her throat, her posture changes back to casual calm and she lightly pats a napkin on her mouth to get food debris off. I look back at Whinter in shock surprise but his face continues to grin even after witnessing the same thing. "You'll get used to that. She's been doing that for the past hour-" _The past hour?_

My curiosity gets the better of me as I exclaim, "How much has she eaten already!?" Whinter shrugs in response and goes for more sushi as he answers. "I lost count after she ate an entire baked fish by herself." When I look back over at Drosyn, she simply tilts her head and nods once in agreement before returning to eating what she can. I turn back to Scurry to see how she's taking this new information but I find her only eating her food and drinking some lemon tea with a smile, my shoulders shrugging as I do the same. _Maybe this isn't so bad as we thought..._ no one's splatting anyone _..._

The calm doesn't last long because Scurry eventually stands up and moves to where Drosyn is sitting, sitting down next to her tensely and with barely contained hostility. Drosyn looks down at her due to her tall build but Scurry keeps her head straight forward, her expression neutral as she asks her question. "Why did you splat my brother?"

"A mistake," Drosyn states calmly and immediately, her answer devoid of emotion or evasion. _Out of all the answers I'm expecting, that's the last one._ Scurry doesn't take the answer well as her hair tentacles rise hostility and her body surges from her seat in anger. "A mistake?!" she shouts while trying to strike Drosyn with her fists but Drosyn moves her body slightly out of the way of each strike. She continues to answer even as Scurry vents her anger. "I can understand why you are upset but you must understand that I too grieve his loss."

"How?! You're the one who splatted him! How can you grieve when it's your FAULT!" Scurry shouts as she keeps trying to attack, fists and feet hitting nothing but air until Drosyn grabs both of her hands to stop her. Scurry doesn't give up, trying to use her hair tentacles and feet to keep attacking and forcing Drosyn to push her away. I'm already out of my seat and rushing forward to hold Scurry back with my arms around her waist and neck, doing my best to not strangle her as she tries to keep moving towards Drosyn. "That's not helping!" I shout at her but she keeps struggling wildly in her rage. "GET OFF ME!" she shouts back, biting down on my arm sharply and drawing ink but I don't let go of her despite the injury nor the pain, dragging her back while she kicks and screams at me to let her go. I have to take her all the way out so that she doesn't keep trying to hurt Drosyn and when I do finally release her, Scurry quickly turns around and takes a step away from me. "How can you be so calm about this! She splatted Glag!"

Something about her tone breaks a nerve, the usual calm I try to display snapping unexpectedly and violently. "I WAS THERE!" I shout at the top of my lungs, the shout echoing slightly of the somewhat silent streets as I feel my hands ball into fists and shake uncontrollably, my body following suit. Her face turns to one of concern as I start my breathing starts to increase. "I was there when it all happened! I had to watch him drain of ink! I couldn't save him and I have every RIGHT to be mad at her!" I attempt to steady my breathing, closing my eyes and falling to my knees but it's not enough. With a pained shout, I start punching the ground in anger, not sure if I'm doing more damage to the ground or my hands until the stinging of bruising forces me to stop. Long seconds pass before I can regain enough control to speak, my body prone as my anger simmers dangerously on the surface. "But when I saw her on the ground, slowly burning from my ink, I couldn't do it...I don't have it in me to take someone's life in anger...I just can't..."

"Kosh..." Scurry says as gently as possible but her voice seems to make me angrier as I slam my fist down into the ground again, the pain of the bruising on my hand now making me cry out in pain. "I won't let you make that mistake! We have to be better than that or we're no different from them!" I stammer desperately but from the wavering of my tone, I don't expect her to believe me. _I don't even believe myself...how can I expect her to believe me._ My breath is still coming in gasps as I try to calm down, more long seconds passing as Scurry's shadow cast itself over me. She touches my back and her hand recoils slightly from it before rubbing it gently. "Kosh...you've never told me this..."

"How could I?! How could I tell you that I wasn't strong enough to get him to the checkpoint?! That I wasn't fast enough to stick him with the syringe that would save his life?! That Drosyn defeated me and I was helpless to stop her?!" I shout to the ground with my eyes are still shut, angry tears start to drop to the ground as my emotions run haywire. I do my best to avoid breaking down but fail, a choking sob escaping me as Scurry hugs me as best she can. "I can't stop it! I can't stop this from repeating! All this anger..."

Scurry keeps rubbing my back as comforting as she can manage despite my growing despair. "It's never too late...and now I understand why you spared Drosyn...we both wanted revenge but once it was there for us to take...we couldn't do it..." My breathing starts to slow down as my eyes sting with tears, one of my hands leaving the ground to wipe them away. "You understood Glag deeper than I did because you fought side by side with him...what would he want us to do?" she asks in a gentle tone, my sobbing returning as I choke out an answer. "To live...for him..."

"And now I don't think he meant just us...I think he also meant who we're with," she whispers as she moves me into a kneeling position, wiping my eyes as well so that I can see. Drosyn is on the porch with her hands on her face, purple ink running down her arms as she suffers pain of her own. The sight of her in tears replaces my anger with a growing shame. _She can hurt too...just like us..._

I try to get up on shaking legs to walk back towards the house, stumbling slightly and having to use Scurry's shoulder to keep myself upright for a moment. My whole body ached as if I'd done a turf war marathon, the simmering anger tensing and relaxing my entire body and causing it to twitch every so often as we move to take a seat next to Drosyn. Up close in this scenario, her cold and aloof demeanour is replaced with a hurt and vulnerable squid who I knew nothing about. "You didn't...mean to splat him...that's what you meant...by it was an accident?" I say groggily, a little exhausted from losing control of my emotions. Scurry has enough energy to move away from us back into the house as Drosyn nods, taking her hands away from her face to allow tears of purple to flow freely. _I've never seen her face sad before._

"I...I tried to bring him to your checkpoint after I dropped you...but too much time had passed for it to heal him...I couldn't give him my ink without hurting him...and you were too drained..." I feel my anger start to rise at her words but I throttle it, content just to listen to the whole story without interruption. _I want answers and I won't get them by interjecting now._ "He wasn't...he wasn't supposed to die..." she finishes as tears of purple continue to stream down her face. I want to press her further for information but I instead think about what she said, trying to reconnect the events from years ago. "So you threw his gun in after me?" I ask and she nods glumly while wiping tears away. "I wanted to give you a reason to go back...some sort of signal...but we're enemies...so I sent that..."

Another thought hammers in after the first, chilling in its intensity and driving what little anger I had out of me in an instant. _She's an agent like us, just following orders._. _.but whose orders was she following?_ "The Agents went back for the body but they didn't find it-" I start to say but she looks at me with confusion when she hears this. "You...didn't recover his body? But I...I left it for you to find...how..." she says but she looks forward while trying to comprehend this new piece of information. "Someone took his body...we left the site as it was-"

"We? So you weren't the only survivor?" I blurt and Drosyn nods her head. "A few of us got out...we weren't all caught in the Splashdown...but you brought weapons against orders-" _Against orders?_ I quickly interject to clarify. "That's not what the Agent mission briefing was when we got it. Our orders were to not ink a path and carry weapons. Are you saying that you were told a different set of orders?"

She nods grimly as her face hardens and takes on the caste I know her for. "I was stripped of my status as an Agent after the incident. They blamed me for ordering an attack on non-hostile targets and Glag had splatted most of my sisters, leaving no one to defend me when the accusations came. I had no idea that both checkpoints had no extra lives in them-"

"That was part of _our_ briefing...as a means to deter fighting, neither checkpoint was active..." I say grimly, starting to see another picture entirely from what I remember. _Someone was pulling the strings of both sides...but who?_ As I stare straight ahead on the porch, the weight of doubt becomes crushing in its intensity. _All this time, we had thought she was our enemy just to find out that another had orchestrated the entire event and turned her against us._ "I'm lost now...who could be in a position to-" I start to say and the answer became readily apparent. _Octavio has been feeding us intelligence...and is commanding the Agents of his own side..._

I look over at Drosyn who starts to lower her head and looks away from me. "You were trying to stop us from freeing Octavio...that's why you're here..." I stutter, her head nodding as purple tears flow down her face. "You freed our worst oppressor before I could stop you...I walked through the checkpoint and when I saw the empty prison...I started to lose control and that's how you found out it was me..." she states in a hollow voice, tears still streaming down her faces as she continues. "Now, he's going to drag the entire underground into a civil war. Many octarians will suffer in the conflict...some of them...they're just children...why do they have to suffer?" She puts a hand to her mouth as she starts to sob again, her eyes shutting as the horror she's describing becomes too much for her to bear. My arms immediately move around her to try and comfort her even as her tears singe my skin. All I can think of is the horror that we just unleashed on another group of squids. _What have we done?..._

"So what do we do about it?" I hear Scurry say from my right, more shock hitting me as I look at her in bewilderment. She's standing over us with a tray of drinks and sets them down nearby before continuing. "If the civil war in octarian territories concludes, it'll go badly for all squids no matter which side wins. We can't just sit by and let the world get inked away and replaced with this horrible nightmare. We're Agents and saving everyone is what we do." I stutter a response, airing my doubts without thinking. "But this is different! You're asking the Agents to get involved in a massive armed conflict between two large forces on their own turf! What can six of us do against the octarian military?!"

She smiles at me and points with a thumb back at the house, my gaze following her thumb as surprise moves to my face. "Why don't we ask them?" she says confidently as she points at everyone else standing in the doorway to the house. _Clementine, Whinter, Callie, Marie, Sheldon, and Cap'n Cuttlefish._ Sheldon quickly exclaims from his position in the group, "Even if it goes badly, we're duty bound to fix our mistake!" There's a hint of personal shame in his voice at having a hand in Octavio's release and the Cap'n nods in agreement as Callie enthusiastically shouts, "Besides, think of the publicity! The Squid Sisters bring peace to the octarian underground!" Marie sighs loudly before adding in after Callie, "For the last time, these missions are not public knowledge."

Clementine and Whinter are standing together hand in hand and voice their own choices. "So long as we stick together and watch each others backs, well get through this too. This isn't the first time we've had to save all of Inkopolis." Whinter grins to us as he adds in after Clementine, "Besides, we can't let you have all the fun and hog all the glory!"

I look back at Drosyn who's also staring at the assembled Agents, old tears on her face that she starts to wipe away. "This would be easier if you're with us," I tell her gently, releasing my grip on her body and offering her a hand. She looks down at it for a long time until she grins and takes it, shaking it firmly and with a little too much force. "Of course it would be. You are so weak, after all," she says jokingly and I hear Marie growl from nearby, the pang of guilt rising again at going over Marie's head. _Another spur of the moment decision...good job, me.._ _._

Before Marie can correct me, the Cap'n starts to cough violently and falls to the ground, coughing out a worrying amount of ink. Marie and Callie rush to his aid but he holds up a hand, his other hand bracing against the ground as he coughs out more ink blobs. It takes a while for the fit to stop before he says in a raspy voice, "I guess it's time...to tell you the whole truth...I had...dreaded this day...but...it's here..." He inhales a few times until his breathing steadies, his body sitting on the porch and his hand gesturing for the rest of us to sit in front of him.

Only when he sees us all in front of him does he start speaking, his voice commanding yet sad. "I had my suspicions too...about everything. The mission Kosh and Glag undertook...The octarian leadership...Drosyn and her black octolings...but I had no proof of anything and I needed something to go on." He lowers his head and Marie interrupts by adding her thoughts. "And in came an old friend, Octavio?" she asks and the Cap'n nods, his face grim as he raises his head again to look at those around him. "I realize now that from the very beginning, he's been lying to me and has been using our friendship to blind me to his true intentions to keep me out of his way. He's even manipulated his own kind to do his bidding and disposed of them when their use is spent."

The Cap'n coughs lightly before continuing with his story. "There never was another octarian leadership. From what I remember, the octarian territories has always been a military dictatorship ruled by the strongest octarian. I was a fool to think that Octavio truly wished for peace or had advisors...the hiarchy doesn't allow it." The Cap'n coughs again, Marie and Callie rising out of instinct to aid him when he puts another hand up to stop them, coughing a few times before rasping out, "I'm alright...but I'm running out of time...I cannot solve everything I have done wrong these past two years...but I can solve some of them..." Surprisingly, the Cap'n seems to grow in stature and prowess when he stands up, standing tall with all of the youth of a veteran commander. In a commanding voice full of vitality, he commands us words that I'll never forget.

"All of you, prepare for battle...this ends tonight."


	14. Atonement

**Chapter XIII: Atonement**

* * *

Marie walks up to the wall near the house entrance and presses her palm to the wood, the panel depressing and sliding upwards to reveal a hidden scanner. A red light plays over her hand when she puts it on the glass, a computerized Sheldon responding, "Agent Identified. Agent One. Access Granted." The wall to the left of the scanner depresses inwards with a hiss of air pressure and opens to the left, revealing the hidden room beyond. None of us waits for confirmation as we pile inside to grab Hero grade gear custom built by Sheldon for the Squidbeak Splatoon from the walls and the racks. My hands quickly grab a uniform and throw on the shorts and vest, clipping both to my body with practised ease and quickly moving to grab a Hero shot from one of the racks. _We only bring this gear out for the worst possible scenarios...this is one of those times..._ I holster my weapon on my thigh and grab a headset, putting it on and tapping a button on the right ear to syncing all of the gear together and making it come alive. _  
_

With my own gear prep done, I take a look around the room to see Drosyn still standing at the door but as I approach to ask what's wrong, she looks at me with something akin to shame and starts to say, "Are you sure you can just forgive me so easily...after what-" I hold up a hand gently to cut her off and reply sternly but truthfully. "Make amends with the rest of us. We all have failures to fix here so let's help each other fix it," I say, gesturing with my head for her to head inside. She nods slowly to me and heads into the room without another word, immediately moving to grab a Hero Charger off the wall. A quick glance back into the room tells me that everyone else is performing the same ritual, each squid loading up with their preferred weapons and Hero gear. Button presses on jackets power on and off ink shields and ink tanks are placed and secured over jackets. _It's been a while since I've been in here..._

No banter is shared, everyone in the room concentrating on gear checks. All except Drosyn who's standing in front of an armour rack, blocking my view of its contents with her form. "How...is this..." I hear her stutter before Cap'n Cuttlefish responds from nearby while strapping on a Hero jacket. "I had Sheldon keep this armour maintained as a prize for our victories. It would seem fitting that you don it now and rest assured, it's fully functional."

With my own preparations long since over, I walk over to see what has Drosyn paused, surprised when I see a full Octoling gear set painted black and hanging on an armour rack of similar proportions to an octoling. Seeing Drosyn still paused, I walk forward and pick up the headgear, turning around to hold it in front of her. Her pause finally breaks as she stares down at the gear in my hand with a mix of dismay and awe. "We don't have time to gawk. Gear up," I state but she keeps looking back and forth between the gear and my face, eventually settling on my face. "I vowed never to wear this gear again..."

My right-hand touches her shoulder as I try to smile, only managing a grimace as I whisper, "You can think of it this way...maybe someday, we can take off this gear for good...but today isn't that day and we need you for this..." She stares at me for long seconds, her face grim as she processes my words before nodding and taking the gear in my hand. The goggles slip into place and power up to give her the glowing red eyes of an armed octoling and with her hesitation dealt with, she quickly moves past me to dons the chest plate and boots, powering a black ink shield to test its integrity. I watch all this from behind her, seeing her change from timid to professional before my eyes.

 _She's just as I remember...except now, she's on our side..._

* * *

A few minutes pass before all nine of us finish our preparations and gather around the centre of the room. Sheldon seems small and fragile despite the Hero shot in his hands and he catches my gaze while beaming a smile back at me. "Don't worry about me, Kosh. I wouldn't miss this chance to save to world," he states enthusiastically, Cap'n Cuttlefish hobbling towards the group in his own gear. No weapons are in his hands because his style of combat involved the multiple canned Specials across his arms, chest, and even his legs. He cracks open a can with a hiss as we all turn to him, producing a Killer Wail that he wields with some difficulty. _It surprises me that he can handle its weight at all._ "Gather around, Splatoon. I have something to say," he says loudly and clearly, the others forming a circle and waiting for him to speak. Scurry is next to me with her Hero Dualies holstered, her body tense from the seriousness of the situation. Once he sees that all of us are paying attention, he begins his speech. "No matter what happens or who falls, I just want you all to know that is has been a great pleasure knowing you all and watching you grow. Each of you has answered the call and risen above my expectations. Carry this knowledge with you as we go to right the wrongs we've brought to this world and save all we hold dear."

The Cap'n gives us all a rough salute with a free hand, the rest of us mirroring his action out of habit. Only after he's sure we're ready does he begins to hobble out of the room at a brisk pace to lead us down the street to the checkpoint, the rest of us following behind him in silence. I look around Octo Canyon as we walk, hoping that I would see it again after this is over. "I'm scared..." I hear Scurry say from my left, looking over at her to find a squid who just realized what she got herself into. _This is her first real operation...I can relate to her fears..._ "Me too..." I whisper back, feeling some of my own confidence slip as I turn back forwards to keep walking.

I don't have anything to say to calm her fears or mine.

* * *

There was only one place Octavio could gather his forces again; Cephalon HQ. Although we had set up a motion detection system to monitor movement, the Agent's didn't really patrol the site since even octarians barely knew of it. Unfortunately, this oversight came back to haunt us now that Octavio is free and able to call his forces back to him.

All of these thoughts plague me as we arrive at the checkpoint at Cephalon, Cap'n Cuttlefish and Agents 1 and 2 the first through the drain to secure a parameter while the rest of us fan out behind them. My caution rises when nothing moves to challenge our arrival and the area around us is devoid of enemy ink, Marie ordering us to fan out and search for signs of enemy contact. Scurry and I move as a team to search the left flank, each of us covering different angles as we do as instructed. "You won't find any defences up here," Drosyn states to the group as she breaks formation and heads for the edge of the encroachment were on. I'm only partially listening as I continue to search for hostiles, only coming to rest when we complete our search and chime in with Marie who orders us to fall in with the others. "Something doesn't feel right..." I say idly to myself but Marie responds to my words. "Be on high alert, Agents. We're on enemy turf now so expect trouble."

"Trouble is down there," Drosyn states as she nears the edge, leaning slightly forward to look into the crater of Cephalon HQ. The rest of us do the same, looking over the ledge to see an array of traps and defences suspended above an ocean of purple ink with small figures moving about. "Should we be watching for non-combatants?" Clementine asks but Cap'n Cuttlefish is quick to respond. "All squids in this area are considered enemy combatants. An accord among octarians and inklings on Octavio's defeat list that this area be abandoned but it seems that accord was disobeyed." Before we can ask him for other instructions or clarification, the Cap'n is first off the ledge and each of us leaps after him in squid form as he makes his descent. No ink gun sprays greet us as we descend and impact on the ground into sprayed puddles of green ink, all of us quickly rising from the ink and spreading out again to watch for an attack.

Drosyn moves to the front of the group along with Callie and Marie as the rest of us form a defensive ring around them, watching as many angles as we could as they decide what to do next. "I know some shortcuts but that's assuming they didn't change the layout of this place..." Drosyn says over the comm in a clear and calm voice, Marie ordering us moments later to follow them as they move forward. My instincts keep telling me to stay alert even as we start entering kettles to travel.

 _This doesn't feel right...but I'm glad we're all feeling that..._

* * *

Moving through Cephalon is surprisingly easy, the resistance extremely light with only octotroopers and purple ink to slow us down. Drosyn's shortcuts allow us to cut through all five areas of the HQ in a matter of minutes, bypassing major defence points and gathering areas with ease. The lighting gets worse as we head deeper into the area, working lamps of bright light giving way to malfunctioning and broken lamps that keep the areas dark. Sweat gathers on my exposed skin as my unease starts to reach its peak, more so because we start to approach our final destination with only minimal resistance to stop us. _Bomb Rush Blush, the place where Callie was brainwashed into doing a show with Octavio..._ "This is the kettle to our final destination. Is everyone ready?" Marie says through the comm confidently, the rest of us giving our affirmatives before she orders us into the kettle.

The area is completely dark when we rise out of the kettle and fan out, forcing each of us to activate the lights on our headsets to see. On immediate inspection, there's no sign of ink residue or any activity in the area but the Cap'n orders us to fan out and search. We find nothing at the initial landing site and regather near the edge of our platform to look into the centre stage. "No sign of Octavio or his guard units. Those forces we've fought thus far could just be rogue elements but we have to make sure," the Cap'n states before jumping into the centre stage, the rest of us following after him without a second thought. We spread out on landing and fan out, a few minutes of searching the centre area in teams turning up nothing. Callie is the first to voice our thoughts, "I don't understand. Cap'n, are you sure he's here?"

"Yes. There's nowhere else he could be and all of the other potential locations are coming up with nothing," the Cap'n responds while panning his Killer Wail around, his headlight playing off empty seating and an empty centre area. Drosyn chimes in a few seconds later. "I can confirm that much. This is the best place for him to gather a force and none of the other sites can compare to Cephalon."

Lost in the idea that this was a dead end, I almost miss the subtle, red targeting lasers playing off members of the team, a shocking realization coming to me as I pale. _We're all in the centre surrounded by rows of seating...which aren't empty...  
_

"Octosnipers! Scatter!" I shout into the comm, the noise of Splat Charger shots filling the air as the empty stage around us descends into anarchy, ink weapons spraying in from unknown directions. Every Hero Charger we have opens fire on distant targets, a few popping sounds ringing in the distance as our team scores a few splats. The Cap'n fires his Killer Wail in the opposite direction of the team, a wave of ink and sound blasting towards the seating and painting it green.

Despite all of our return sprays, the ink sprays from the seating intensify as the ambush is sprung and more octarians join the battle. Callie shouts next to me as she backpedals, "They're coming up the sides!" The sound of a burst of ink from her Mini Splatling sounds as she engages hostile forces, Scurry and I dodging fire and turning our lights towards the edges of the centre platform. _We have no cover! If our ink shields fail-_

My light keeps panning as I try to dodge ink sprays, eventually settling on a group of Octotroopers rising up the side and aiming their ink guns at us, our ink guns spraying green ink to deter them for a few moments. A few get splatted from our initial volley but dozens of octotroopers start to climb up and I decide to grab a Splat Bomb off of my belt. A quick toss sends the bomb sailing towards them, splatting a few in the explosion but only momentarily halting their advance. "Ugh! The more we shoot, the more they advance!" Scurry shouts in frustration as she also throws a Splat Bomb, the bomb sailing into another group but only succeeding in splatting a few and slowing their advance temporarily.

The swinging light on my headset starts to pick out details, strange tentacle creatures piloting odd metal machines with mounted ink guns stopping momentarily to fire at us. Scurry and I are forced to back up further to avoid their range, giving ground as more advanced octarian units start to join the fight. "Shields!" I shout as octotroopers wielding heavy metal shields move in front of the main units, my headset alive with audio updates even as my shots glance off of the ink resistant material of the shield units. "I've got octocommandos coming up my side!" Clementine's shouts as Hero Charger impacts sound closer when she's forced to engage more immediate targets. Whinter laughs into the comm in response and adds in his own tactical advise. "It's just octotroopers with Ssplatling Guns! We got this!"

"Twintacles over here! It's about time they fought harder!" Callie shouts as more barrages of Mini Splatling Gun sound afterwards. I detach and throw another Splat Bomb from my belt behind a shield octo, the bomb sliding along the ground and exploding behind him to splat him in a shower of green. Multiple roars of an Inkzooka sound behind me as the Cap'n unleashes another weapon from his arsenal, rapidly pulling the trigger to unleash the entire payload as swiftly as possible. Scurry and I keep firing at the octarians, diving and evading when needed and slowly holding then regaining the ground we lost as their numbers seem to slacken. Suddenly, all of our ink guns go silent as the last of the octarian forces fall, my body diving into the ink at my feet for a fresh reload and quickly rising back up to bring my ink gun up in alertness. "Was that it?" I ask aloud, swinging my light around to see if any more octarians are visible but my light picks up nothing but purple and green ink puddles.

"Not quite," a mechanical voice from nearby, all of us turning on the spot to find the source with our lights. All of the supposed dead lights turn on in an instant, bathing the area in a bright white glow and nearly blinding me with the sudden light. A strange sound whistles through the air as something heavy falls from the ceiling, a shadow descending on us from above as the Cap'n shout for everyone to move. Scurry and I dive into the ink and swim as fast as we can to avoid whatever is coming down but we don't make it, jumping out of the ink as a wave of purple impacts the location behind us to pop our ink shields and throw us forward. I skid along the ground before swiftly rolling with the fall, drawing my ink gun and aiming it at whatever landed behind us as Scurry does the same. I almost freeze in shock at what I see behind us.

Octavio is standing before us in a modified rig of his previous stage war machine, the new machine more aerodynamic and with a glass dome over the front to protect him from ink sprays. The anti-gravity unit at the bottom is replaced with multiple octopus legs, keeping it stable and terrestrial as two massive mechanical fists and bomb launchers on its front twirl into readiness. His mechanical fists twirl in their sockets as he turns to confront us. "I told you not to come here Cuttlefish and you ignored my warnings. I'm afraid I can't let you walk away from this battle now." The Splatoon is quickly picking themselves up and gathering in a semi-circle behind the Cap'n, all of our ink guns aimed at Octavio and waiting for the order to engage.

"Give up, Octavio! We outnumber you 9 to 1! It's over! Don't let your pride get in the way of sound judgement!" the Cap'n shouts at the war machine as he pops another canned Special, producing Tenta Missile Launchers and locking them onto Octavio. Octavio response is to laugh arrogantly and gesture with a mechanical fist towards us. "You're a fool, Cuttlefish. We both know that I can't walk away from this battle because tradition will not allow me to...but you know this, don't you? You already know that I can't walk away from this fight and judging from your decrepit appearance, you won't walk away from this either."

His war machine revs up, gears grinding and energy coursing as he prepares to fight. "Enough! It's time we settle this once and for all!" he shouts as he launches his war machine at us with a speed that belied its size. He's on us in a heartbeat with bombs launching and mechanical fists flying, all of his weapons unleashing their payloads in a violent storm of ink. All we can do is scatter to avoid the ink explosions and massive fists trying to splat us into puddles of ink, the Agent's sporadically returning fire when we can. The Cap'n shouts into the comm for us to keep moving as he unleashes his Tenta Missiles but when the missiles impact the hull of the machine, the ink slides off and causes no visible damage. Octavio retorts directly to the Cap'n attack by launching a spinning fist at him, nearly splatting him on the spot if not for a last second can of Ink Armor. He pops another canned Special as he evades, producing a Splat Bomb Launcher and firing the entire payload at Octavio but still causing no substantial damage to the war machine.

Octavio laughs at the Cap'n antics even as he tries to splat him. "You think I wouldn't find a counter to your strength and learn from my mistakes?! My machine is now ink proof and you cannot _hope_ to harm me!" Octavio throws another spinning punch at the Cap'n who's forced to dives into the ink as the fist splats the ground, all the while Octavio continues to rant at us. "Once you and all of your Agents are dead, I will reclaim my right of domination over octarian lands!" he shouts at us, lunging forward to bring a machine fist down on the Cap'n who is forced to keep moving as another large splat of purple ink splashes from his previous position.

Panic starts to set in as I keep firing, my ink gun causing no damage to the war machine's armour. _All of our ink weapons aren't causing any damage! There has to be a way to stop the machine, but what-_ "Go for the ink ports on its back!" Drosyn shouts as she runs past me on my right, her weapons holstered as she dashes towards the machine at full spring. Scurry and I look at each other and come to a rapid decision with nods. "Cover us!" I yell into my headset, following Drosyn's example of holstering my weapons and sprinting towards the machine with Scurry at my side. "Be careful at such close range, Five. We don't need any casualties," Marie states cautiously as we start to near the war machine.

The machine towers over me, a moving building of unknown metals with the ink ports Drosyn mentioned near the top. "Ink won't stick to it! Use your suction cups!" Drosyn shouts as she leaps up to the machine and attaches with her hair and hands, using them to rapidly climb up the machine's flank. I rush forward and brace myself, offering my hands for Scurry to step on as I toss her up towards the machine. The machine starts to swing wildly in an attempt to dislodge the two squids on it, my hands able to latch on when its back dips towards me as mechanical laughter vibrates through its hull. "Nice try, inklings but let's see you handle _my_ surprises!"

Back flaps open above us and start to pour purple ink waves down the back of the machine. Scurry is forced to let go completely to avoid an ink wave and I watch her fall, thankful that she's able to land in a patch of green ink and swim away. When I look back upwards, purple ink is surging towards me and I'm forced to release my left hand and swing my body to avoid the wave, my right hand sliding down the machine's body in the process. The sliding stings violently and I grit my teeth to hold on, slamming my other hand back on when the ink is gone but still in pain as my hand comes into contact with hostile ink. I continue to climb and keep my view upwards to see Drosyn is rapidly climbing up the machine, avoiding ink waves with practised grace. One of her hands goes free and grabs a Splat Bomb from her belt, throwing it into one of the ink pouring flaps when it wasn't pouring ink. A dull thump sounds from inside and green and black ink gushes out as the machine bucks in response. "Get off of me, inklings! Fight me with honour!" Octavio shouts as he continues to try and dislodge us, the machine spinning and bucking. I change my course to climb up the now cleared side, gaining swift progress despite the movements of the war machine.

Whinter's squid form flies past me as I climb and morphs in mid-air, his face meeting mine and smiling at me before he turns in the air to throw a Splat Bomb into the leftmost ink flap with a right-handed toss, another dull thump sounding inside from the detonation. He reverses his momentum and dives down into the ink as the entire machine rotates, launching bombs and machine fists at him as he moves to evade. I increase my pace upwards, finally arriving at a reasonable throw distance and letting go of the machine entirely to rapidly grab and throw a Splat Bomb. Another dull explosion sounds behind me as the bomb finds its mark and I quickly go squid to dive into green ink beneath me.

Octavio is still laughing even as his machine takes damage. "So you've dealt with some of my defences but I have plenty to spare!" he shouts as I rise out of the ink to see something deploying out of the machines back, metal flaps opening and deploying four moderate-sized canisters into the ink. "Let me introduce you to my followers!" he shouts as he continues to attack with bombs and fists, the canisters bursting open to reveal blobs of purple ink that gush out onto the ground. Initially, I thought it was just another ink based weapon until the blobs begin to take form, morphing into humanoids rapidly before my eyes.

Horror strikes me when I see a doppelganger of Glag, a dead look on his face as he points a Splattershot at us even as more inklings and octolings rise from the purple ooze. "How do you like my latest experiment!? With this achievement at my command, everyone who dies will come to serve ME!" Octavio gloats as he stops in his rampage to look at his creations, the doppelgangers opening fire once they fully form. I try to will myself to pull the trigger but my finger is numb from shock and my feet won't move despite my ink shield popping. The only thing that saves me is a Hero Charger shot that sails over my shoulder, hitting Glag in the forehead and splatting him in a shower of green. Scurry jumps in front of me to take some of the ink fire as Drosyn shakes me on the left shoulder. "It isn't them! Don't hesitate! Just shoot!"

My mind recoils at what she's asking but seeing Scurry in front of me firing changes my mind. _There isn't a choice._ I surge to stand next to Scurry as I pull the trigger and rake the spray of green ink over the doppelgangers, splatting as easily as the octotroopers since they had no armour or shields. As we destroy them, however, any piece of them that touches purple ink reforms into other doppelgangers to continue fighting. They even use their deaths tactically, making sure to die near purple ink and resurfacing to fight at another angle. We continue to fire even as their numbers start to multiply, ink blobs landing in pairs to produce two doppelgangers of the same type.

"We have to coat the floor or they'll keep reviving!" Drosyn shouts over the sound of ink guns spraying, my ink gun going back in my holster on my hip as I start tossing Splat Bombs at the ground with both hands to cover as much area as I can with green. The doppelgangers' priorities change from attacking us to coating the floor as Scurry and Drosyn join with their own Splat Bombs. "Bomb rush em!" I shout as all three of us produce Splat Bomb Launchers, launching bomb after bomb into the area to coat it in green and splat doppelgangers in the blasts. The number of doppelgangers starts to reduce further and further until we catch the final ones in the ink blasts, all of us breathing a sigh of relief when none of the creatures rises from the green ink.

"Impressive, Agent," roars Octavio from behind me, my body turning rapidly to watch a wave of Suction Bombs launch at me and one of them adhere to my ink shield. I can only watch as it explodes, breaking my ink shield and sending me skidding across the floor from the force. A loud ringing sounds in my ears as I try to rise from where I land only to have a mechanical fist latch onto me and start to lift me into the air. I morph between squid form and back while kicking and punching, none of it preventing the fist from pulling me to the war machines dome. The other inklings try to dislodge me with ink sprays on vulnerable parts of the machine but the ink shots and bombs do nothing to dislodge the grip on my body. "You are a skilled warrior, Agent, as you all are. I will have much use for you once you are all dead!" he shouts to me, his fists starting to tighten its grip as to crush my lower half. _If he keeps pressing, he'll cut me in half!_ I struggle fruitlessly against the fist, trying to pull myself free as the pressure keeps increasing even as Octavio continues to taunt me. "Don't struggle, inkling! Just accept death just like your brother!"

I don't question how he knows of my brother or myself because of hot anger flaring in my head at his words. My limbs start to shift and sting as tentacles grow and my body starts to swell. With a deep roar of outrage, I force open the fist with a multitude of limbs and Octavio backs off with a roar of triumph. "Finally, a challenge! Let's see what you can do, inkling!"

My words only come out as a deep roar as my Kraken form comes up to half his size, his machine trying to punch me in the centre of my body with the fist I broke. My limbs stop the blow before it can land, large tentacles attaching to the fist and pulling it while it spins with ink spraying off it. The fist comes in a shower of sparks but Octavio launches Splat Bombs at close range from his machine's torso, sprays of ink both purple and green flying off my body as they detonate against me. I drop the fist and rapidly backpedal from the pain, diving back into the green ink with a splash even as Octavio chases me with explosions. "Where are you going?!" Octavio shouts as he launches more bombs after me, chasing me with ink explosions as I try to evade his attacks. Some of the bombs impact me but the ink around me heals most of the damage inflicted.

I rise up further away from Octavio and watch as he grabs his broken mechanical fist off the ground with the working one, placing it in the spot it had been. Sparks fly as the hand is reattached and restored in seconds. "I learn from every battle we fight and I already know what the Kraken can do!" he shouts arrogantly, his chest bomb ports sucking in purple ink from the ground as his right shoulder opens to deploy the long barrel of an ink cannon. A red targeting laser plays over my body and I try to evade the shot but it's too unexpected a move from Octavio, a fast-moving geyser of purple ink projecting from the cannon to ink off a large part of my side. I roar in pain as my form morphs back into inkling involuntarily, still having enough consciousness to dive into the green ink below me but rising on a knee still in pain from the aftershock. The machine stomp towards me as I find myself immobilized from pain, the machine ignoring the other inklings firing at it to raise a fist and bringing it down swiftly on top of me. _I guess...this is it-_

Large blue tentacles stop the fist mid-flight, pulling hard and tearing it off as Whinter's in Kraken form roars at the war machine. Octavio turns to meet the new threat even as Whinter tries to smash open the glass of Octavio's dome, shouting at me in a deep voice to move away from the battle. I do as instructed pained gasps, diving into the ink and swimming away from the combat towards Scurry and Drosyn who are firing Splat Bomb Launchers behind me, the bombs causing no damage to the machines flanks.

My mind starts to analyze the situation even as Octavio starts to fight Whinter. _Brute force is undone by repair systems and our ink guns are ineffective._ I watch as Whinter is punched in the body with a rotating fist, a shower of green and purple exploding from the wound as he roars in pain and morphs back to inkling form. He's conscious enough to dive into the green ink below him and swims away, Octavio launching bombs after him as he tries to evade. _Wait...the bomb ports!_ "Do you think we can get a Splat Bomb into the machine's bomb ports to detonate his bomb stock?" I blurt rapidly, both Scurry and Drosyn looking at me as they drop their empty launchers. "We've tried that but the ports have flaps that go over them when they stop firing," she retorts and I groan in frustration and anger, wracking my brain for anything that can help. "We gotta think of something!" I exclaim in anger, not sure what to do but trying my best to find a solution.

A voice sounds over my comm as we stand there, the voice wheezing but clear in its instructions. "Agents! Fall back! I'm finishing this!" _Cap'n Cuttlefish?_ My hand goes to my comm as I ask out of turn. "Cap'n, where are you?" I ask, looking around to find him but not seeing him among those fighting. He coughs a few times into the comm and I can hear him breathing heavily as if something is wrong with his chest. "I'm inside the war machine through one of its backports. I'm going to set off Octavio's bomb stockpile with a Splat Bomb," he states as he coughs a few more times, a look of shock crossing my face as Marie calmly states into the comm, "Are you able to escape before it goes off?"

No answer arrives, a few seconds of silence over the comm even as Octavio tries to blast Whinter with more bombs. "Marie..." he whispers but is quickly interrupted before he can say more. "Are you able to escape?!" Marie asks desperately, her normal calmness giving way to emotions at this new development. The Cap'n provides an explanation instead of answering the question. "I used my last Baller Special to avoid getting splatting outside...I don't have any cans left that will help me survive the blast..." he gasps, his breath still ragged even as Marie moves towards the war machine.

"No, grandpa! Get out of there!" I hear Callie shout as she joins Marie's charge, storming forward despite the danger even as the click of a splat bomb being armed sounds over the comm. "I'm sorry, Marie...Callie...this is my last outing...I just wish we had more time-"

The dull thump from inside Octavio's war machine is followed by a serious of bangs, the machine starting to spasm as its hull bulges and breaks in spots to spray purple ink from the holes. Octavio wrestles with the controls of his machine even as he shouts at us. "What have you done!? You will pay for this, Cuttlefish!" he shouts as his machine continues to spasm, the bangs increasing in pace and more bulges breaking through the hull in spouts of purple ink. Marie and Callie are stock still as the machine explodes but Marie calls a retreat, the Agent's obeying and falling back to a safe distance at the edge of the centre stage to watch the outcome of the Cap'n gambit.

Something big explodes inside the machine, the innards of the machine thrown to the outer shell with a violent bang. Octavio tries to eject the control centre he was in but the controls still don't respond. He only has enough time to shout in rage before his cockpit is crushed against the hardened glass, splatting him into a purple stain in an instant. The back end of the machine blows outwards and a massive torrent of purple ink and smoke leak out of it's shattered shell, the machine collapsing onto its front with a massive impact of metal on metal.

Something skids across the purple and green ink around the back of the machine and we initially think its more debris until we notice the Agent transponder on the vest. All of us surge forward with ink guns spraying to run to where the Cap'n landed, my mind panicked as yet hopeful that the Cap'n somehow made it out safely. Marie is the first to reach him and when we get in range, we all gasping in shock at his wounds. His entire bottom half is missing, leaking green ink from the hole as his face grimacing in pain and his body shaking from shock. "Hold on, Grandpa! You'll be alright!" Marie shouts desperately as she goes for the pouch on her front but the Cap'n stops her hand, Marie looking down at him in surprised shock. "Marie..." he says weakly as she still tries to open the pouch, ignoring his protests as the Cap'n moves his other hand to stop her. "I'm old...Marie...I'm too old...this is how...I wish to go..." he continues in a weak voice, coughing slightly even as Marie shouts back at him. "No! I won't let you die! Not when I can-"

"Marie!" he retorts angrily, a commanding tone that forces compliance even as he coughs violently at the effort of using it. "Don't let my last order go...unfulfilled! Do you want me to...to die of old age!? To stick around until...I turn to dust?!" he shouts, coughing violently and starting to convulse from the effort. Marie tries to go for her emergency ink syringe again but the Cap'n grabs it from her pouch, using what strength he has left to throw it away from him. "This was...was always meant to be...my end..." he whispers, his body finally stilling as his energy starts to drain away.

Silent horror is on everyone face as the event plays out, my mind fighting with itself to follow his orders even though it would lead to his death. _We still need him! We need his guidance and there is no Splatoon without the Cap'n!_

"This is...my atonement..." he whispers over the comm, switching it on with the last of his strength as tears gather in his eyes. "I brought this...on you...on octarians...on everyone...let this be my atonement..." His breathing starts to slow and I find myself disobeying, reaching for my front pouch and taking a few steps forward before Scurry stops me with her left arm. I stare at her in mute shock to find her shaking her head and pointing with her chin towards the Cap'n, tears of cyan streaming down a face filled with sadness and rage. Despite my shock, I slowly nod my head and turn back to watch the Cap'n as Callie and Marie hug the dying squid in his last moments. _If he's to atone, we all have to watch...we all have to fulfil his last order...  
_

With tears streaming down our faces, we all watch in silence as Cap'n Cuttlefish last breath leaves him.


	15. Aftermath

**Chapter XIV: Aftermath**

* * *

It was a bad dream what came next. Callie and Marie had led us through Cephalon HQ on a hunt for anything that shouldn't be there, our ink guns splatting octarians that didn't surrender and destroying anything that looked useful to military elements. Although Marie was cool-headed and ordered us with clipped commands, we could all hear the growing rage in her voice as we eliminated all resistance left in the HQ. I had volunteered to carry the upper half of the Cap'n's body, no one protesting as I used my ink shield and body to shield it from incoming fire as we cleared the area of hostiles. Only after two hours of securing the site did we finally leave through the checkpoint we came in, confirming to ourselves that Octavio did not escape or respawn at any nearby network and that the entire area was now devoid of anything useful that rogue octarian elements could use.

I had used some of the time to look more into sharing ink and how inklings reproduce, learning that ink is only acidic when during hostile encounters as a defence mechanism. All a squid has to do is make sure their partner is comfortable to prevent the burn, something that doesn't apply to the same ink color to the chagrin of Scurry and I. Scurry had read up on female inklings and that they don't reach the ability to lay eggs until age 30 and unless the eggs are specially cared for by professional hands, the chance of children growing from an egg is very low. _I wish I knew all of this before...but maybe I did..._ Imprinting and how my ink in Scurry's body would influence how her future children would grow was an interesting read as well, Scurry asking me if I had plans to have children with her but my voice not having an answer at the time.

None of us talked about the mission even as I put the upper half of the Cap'n in Octavio's former prison to preserve it for burial. All of us tried to resume our lives until the time came to grieve but we all knew that none of us walked away unchanged. Days stretched on as we tried to act like everything was alright until the day came for the funeral after Marie and Callie had arranged the proper ceremonies. We packed up our possessions and began to transit out of the home, knowing that we couldn't stay here now that the Cap'n was dead.

We all hoped that by leaving this place, we could move on.

* * *

The ceremony for the Cap'n is a closed casket funeral in Inkopolis Square, everyone present in black clothes of mourning on to pay their last respects to Cap'n Cuttlefish. The Agents are in the front rows except for Callie and Marie who are performing the Cap'n last rights on a raised stage. I stood there and heard Marie and Callie relay a fake story of how the Cap'n died of old age instead of in combat, the public unable to receive the full story until we decide it's the right time.

All I can feel is sorrow as I stand there in silence, Scurry holding my hand next to me gently. _The Cap'n signed me into the Squidbeak Splatoon...he was my hero...but now he's dead..._ As I look at Callie and Marie on the stage, I remember how hard they cried when the Cap'n stopped breathing, the moment as raw and fresh as it was a month ago. Ink sickness had claimed me as soon as we got home but thankfully, the team nursed me back to health over a week or so. _But I can't forget what happened...I can never forget what happened...  
_

Scurry squeezes my hand as the Squid Sisters continue their speech, my mind returning to the now to listen in. "He was a kind squid who knew how to make people happy," Callie says from a raised podium in front of the group, her voice clear and confident but sad underneath. "He was never stingy with his belongings and some say that he was not stingy enough because he always gave everything he had no matter how much it set him back." Marie continues smoothly when Callie moves away. "He never said no to his friends and did what he could to help them no matter the personal cost...and now we lay this fallen hero to rest..."

Music starts to play as the podium moves away and Callie and Marie start to sing a sorrowful rendition of Tide Goes Out. Suddenly, I find myself singing it as well with Scurry following my lead, tears in my eyes as I squeeze her hand and her hand does the same. I expect to be reprimanded for interrupting the performance but the Sisters continue to sing, Clementine and Whinter joining in as well along with Drosyn and Sheldon. The crowd joins in as well until everyone present is singing the same song, our collective sorrow sending the Cap'n off to rest. I keep wishing he's alive as we sing, wishing that he saw his dream of peace bear fruit. Octarians and inklings were at his funeral, not inking each other and sharing this moment of pain with us. _I always thought they were enemies...but they're just squids too..._

The song ends finally and the crowd goes silent, Marie speaking to the crowd after a few moments of pause. "Thank you all for attending this tragic event on such short notice...it means so much to us that you're all here to mourn our grandfather...thank you..." The Sisters hold hands and move to the edge of the stage, bowing formally to the crowd before giving them all clear to go to the after party. The crowd begins to depart but the Agent's remain, each of us climbing onto the stage and gathering around the casket to have our own ceremony. "He's really gone..." I say, placing my free hand on the polished wood of the Cap'n casket as my other hand remains in Scurry's hand. Marie sighs sadly to us before answering. "He is...and he died a hero...like he wanted...he got his life's wish of peace, in the end, too...no one can ask for more..."

"But there isn't peace," Drosyn adds with an even tone, her words breaking us from our sadness as all eyes lock on her. "Octarian territories are in anarchy. A fellow octoling, Flurry, is rising in power and I believe she will try to invade Inkopolis. We have little choice but to stop her before that can come to pass."

"How?" I question aloud, all eyes turning to me for an explanation. "The Squidbeak Splatoon is gone with the Cap'n. We aren't Agents anymore and don't have as much access to gear as before. We aren't officially recognized by any outside groups so aid is limited." Marie smiles at me grimly and shakes her head. "I think you forgot that I'm in charge again, Kosh," she says gently but I nod and look away from her anyway. _I keep overstepping myself..._ "We will start again and form a new Splatoon, building it up again to continue the fight," she states with confidence, all of us nodding despite our misgivings. I smile as a sigh escapes me and I try to get rid of the dark mood around us. "Let's finish the funeral first. The guests need a proper sendoff," I suggest to the group but Marie shakes her head no, all of us following her lead as we stand to attention and salute the Cap'n one final time.

 _Rest in peace, Cap'n...and watch over us as we fight on..._

* * *

Hundreds of tables are set up to accommodate all of the guests, Crusty Sean agreeing to cater the event so long as we provided ingredients that the Fresh Emporium was willing to do for us free of charge. What he whips up for this event is fancier than his usual products, baked fish, fancy sandwiches, and bowls of noodles on every table along with his signature drinks by the jug. Many squids offer their condolences as we pass, Marie and Callie thanking each one for us while the rest of us follow in silence. We arrive at our assigned table at the centre of the square and all eyes turn to us as we settle in.

Callie doesn't sit, grabbing a glass and a spoon from the table and ringing a spoon against the glass to get the attention of everyone. The sombre conversations die out as attention is gained. "I offer a toast...to Cap'n Cuttlefish...may he rest in peace..." she states in a sombre voice, everyone at our table and beyond mirroring her actions and raising our glasses together. The sound of glasses gently tapping together rings across the square before Marie addresses the crowd. "Thank you all again for being here on such short notice again...we really appreciate it..." she says with a smile but Callie sits down immediately and goes for the food with her usual gusto and ill manners.

Fans come to share their condolences to us at our table but the only ones I remember are Pearl and Marina who share their grief simply but plainly. Team Splat Jam and Vitamin Ink are there too, each one grieving in their own way from solemn silence to loud sobs of sadness. We couldn't fake the grief because even after a month to recuperate, the loss of Cap'n Cuttlefish still cut deep and I'm forced to wipe away my tears with a napkin to avoid embarrassing the others.

I don't remember enjoying the food or the conversations because I'm too emotionally drained when we finally decide to return home.

* * *

Octo Canyon was decommissioned now that the Squidbeak Splatoon is no more. Callie and Marie's old home in Inkopolis Square, a prime real estate penthouse, is our new base of operations. I'm glad for the extra rooms and bathrooms but it all seemed too decadent for my tastes.

All these thoughts swim through my head as I find myself sitting in a chair in my room, Glag's Splattershot in my hands upside down as I read the silver plaque on the handle over and over again. _I wonder if Glag knew that he would be brought back as an abomination to be splatted over and over again._..

From what intelligence we ripped from Cephalon HQ, there's an octarian scientist that we now have to find once we've gathered enough strength and information. _Octavio was a military dictator, not a scientist..._ Unfortunately, it became clear over our month of random recon that this Flurry had already found and conscripted the scientist herself in an attempt to bolster her forces, using his knowledge to make more weapons and inventions. Our worst fear was being realized because Flurry was indeed building up forces in an attempt to take over octarian territories and eventually, invade Inkopolis.

A voice breaks into my brooding as a finger pokes my cheek playfully. "You're still beating yourself up over that?" Scurry gloats from my lap, a rueful smile crossing my face as I move an arm around her waist in a brief hug. Her arms tighten around my waist as I respond in a grim voice, "Yeah...I try not to let it bother me but every time I use this ink gun, I keep remembering...I've thought of using another weapon but I can't bring myself to part with it..."

Scurry's response is rapid and unexpected, her right hand grabbing the ink gun and flinging it across the room to sails into the trash bin in the corner. "Better?" she says playfully and my smile becomes ironic as I use my other arm to hug her properly. "I guess that's better...I don't think Sheldon will like that though...he did work on the improvements, after all-"

I can't say more because she kisses me on the lips gently, my eyes closing as I enjoy the brief moment of intimacy. "He'll get over it...he's all about improvements..." she says gently, my head shaking in disagreement as my smile remains. "He has enough work sifting through the data from Cephalon and researching what makes Drosyn tick. I don't want to bother him with making me a new ink gun. I'll just go buy one tomorrow." _Sheldon and Drosyn are hitting it off...and I'm pretty sure none of it is research related like he says...  
_

"You think it's time to tell them?" Scurry whispers to me in concern, the subject matter already known to me as I sigh and begin to remember why I'm sitting in this chair. "Yes, the conditions are met," I state evenly, rising out of my seat with my arms underneath Scurry to support her weight as she smiles at my smooth progress. "You're getting better at this," she comments with her arms wrapped around my neck, a smile on my face in response as I near the bed. "I've had a lot of practice."

My smile drops as I go to my knees to allow Scurry to reach under the bed, her arms releasing my neck as she pulls out a small wooden box and holds it to her chest. When she leans against me and nods, I stand back up and readjust myself before heading towards the door, a wooden door that opens on its own when I approach. _Auto doors...who'd have thought?..._

Whinter and Clementine are waiting outside for us, their backs against the hallway wall as they both look up at us. Whinter grins at me and nods while saying in an amused tone, "Jeez! Are you some kind of hopeless romantic or something now!? Can you not show affection for, like, two seconds!?" Clementine is shaking her head from her spot with a grim smile, already moving away from the wall to walk down the hallway. "Try it sometime. I bet Clementine would enjoy it," I retort with a smile but Clementine immediately snaps a response before Whinter can answer. "No. I don't like being carried and I made that clear, Whinter," she snaps angrily and Whinter puts his hands up in surrender, pointing at me with a finger. "He said it, not me," he blurts with a grin that I return sarcastically, already moving down the hallways as I respond. "Guilty as charged but enough formalities. Let's gather in the living room."

I lead the way down the hallway with the others a step behind me, Scurry looking over at pictures of stages and old photos in the hallway. Callie, Marie, Drosyn, and Sheldon are waiting in the living room when we arrive and when they see me, they roll their eyes in irritation. "Really? I thought you said this was a serious occasion," Callie remarks with a grin but I just shrug and move to take a seat. Marie chuckles to herself and Sheldon tries to laugh but from his position on Drosyn's lap, he can't manage more than a nervous chuckle. Drosyn doesn't laugh, smiling darkly at my antics a hand lightly strokes Sheldon's head.

The smile on my face doesn't last as I put Scurry down on the couch and lightly take the box from her, her hands releasing it gently as I open it and take out its contents. Marie had already activated the TV as I quickly put the CD in my hands into the slot, pressing pause to prevent it from playing. "This box came from the Cap'n," I state in an even tone, Marie and Callie gasping in surprise and Marie already becoming angry. "You kept that from us!? Why did you do that!?" she shouts at me but I don't return her ire, keeping my emotions calm. "I found it when we cleared out the armoury back in Octo Canyon...the note on the box was addressed to you and Callie but I wanted to wait till after the funeral to play it...I don't even know what's on it so I thought it'd be best to play it in private." _I overstepped my authority again but this one...I feel like I did the right thing..._

I don't wait for further discussion as I press the play button on my squidphone and take my seat next to Scurry. Nothing happens for the first few seconds and I groan at the irony of the CD being blank. _The Cap'n was never good with technology-_ The sound of familiar ruckus and the screen shaking as a camera activates draws my attention back to screen as a familiar voice starts to talk. "Arg...is this thing on?..what does that light...Sheldon!" Cap'n Cuttlefish says to the screen that goes to static as the camera is readjusted, the image shifting eventually to Cap'n Cuttlefish is his usual uniform. "...and are you sure it's on?...It is?...Okay," he states before adjusting himself and clearing his throat, everyone present in the room going silent as the recording plays. The Cap'n take ample time to clear his throat and wave at the camera with a smile. "Hello! This is Cap'n Cuttlefish speaking! If you're hearing this than I've already departed to the great beyond. Do not mourn me too greatly! I have lived a full life and I can hope that the way I decided to go was filled with adventure and glory!"

Tears start to fall down my face and I wipe them away as the recording continues. _It sure was Cap'n._ There's a brief pause as he coughs a few times into his hand, his face becoming serious before he continues. "I need you watching to listen to me carefully. I know I don't have much time in this world and I also know so many of you want me to live on and keep leading the Squidbeak Splatoon...but I can't and I won't." He lets out a series of coughs before using a napkin to collect ink discharge, the amount shocking to those in the room when we notice it as he swallows a few times before continuing. "The Squidbeak Splatoon is the relic of another time, a darker time, back during the Great Turf War. By keeping it alive, I've brought the horrors of the past to the present." He coughs a few more times before he continues but not hard enough to warrant the napkin. "The Squidbeak Splatoon needs to end...I just hope all of the Agents are around when I say this..."

More tears fall down my face and this time I don't wipe them away, intent on watching the screen instead. _Everyone's here, Cap'n..._ "You are officially Agents no more and I am relieving you of your duty so you can be free to live life as you see fit. Don't let this old inkling hold you back." I try to stop a sob but I can't, Scurry clinging to me as her tears start to stain my shirt. Everyone around me is also having a hard time controlling their emotions, a few gasp escaping and a few hands moving to wipe away tears.

Even the Cap'n is crying, a hand wiping his own tears away as he gets closer to the camera and for the first time in my life, I finally see how old he's become by the paleness of his skin and the deep wrinkles on his face. "Callie...Marie...I wish I could leave under better circumstances...Hopefully, I've righted some of the wrongs I've done to you all. I just want you to know that I will always love you two. I need you to be good girls and treat each other well. Also, go find nice inklings to share your lives with-" I cringe sadly at that remark and Marie and Callie chuckle slightly in their sadness. "-Even though I am no longer there in the body, I will always be with you in spirit. I want you to never forget that Grandpa will always be with you. And for the rest of you. Whinter, Clementine, Drosyn, Sheldon, Scurry, Kosh-"

It's becoming harder to stay in control of my sadness and my eyes have to close from the stinging of my tears. "-Be good to each other because no matter what anyone says, you're family now and I will always be there for you too." The Cap'n places his hand a hand on the lens of the camera, tears in his eyes as Callie gets up from her chair and touches the screen. He gives us a sad smile as he says his last words, his other hand already moving to turn off the camera.

"This is Cap'n Cuttlefish, signing off...goodbye, my children and my friends..."

* * *

Everyone has tears in their eyes and Scurry breaks down in my arms, crying into my chest with loud sobs. My hand is brushing her hair tentacles as I try to do the same, trying to control myself even as the pain becomes too great and chastising myself for failing again. Not one person in the room remains unmoved, tears and sobs sounding from every couch as the Cap'n final goodbyes touch each of us.

It takes long minutes before any of us are able to speak, Marie the first whos able to get up and removing the CD to place it back in its case. Tears of lime green are streaming down her face as she places it back in the box but her hand returns from the box with an envelope, her other hand wiping her eyes as she sniffles to herself. She makes sure not to get any tears on the envelope as she opens it, taking out a letter and looking at it in confusion. "This is in octarian," she croaks as she goes over to Drosyn who looks up from her crying, Sheldon exhaling as the pressure on his body relaxes. Drosyn also has to wipe her eyes before taking the letter, reading it swiftly and calming down sooner than expected. "This is..." she stutters before pausing slightly, unsure what to do before she starts to read it aloud. Some of our sadness is forgotten as she reads.

 **"Dear old friend. I'm sorry that the situation has turned out how it has. I never wanted it to be this way between us but the war has made us enemies. I cannot aid you without betraying my own kind and you cannot aid me without betraying yours. I fear that one day, we will be forced to splat each other and one or both of us will be dead. I yearn for this day when everything wrong I have done and will do is finally put to rest at the end of my life. I just hope you live on to tell my story, not as a villain or a wrongdoer but as an octarian forced into a bad position by his own traditions. I also hope that if you live, you can forgive this octarian for being a fool. You always told me that I needed to make the rational decisions but I'm afraid I can't approve your request anymore. I'm sorry, Cuttlefish."**

Drosyn turns over the letter, reading a faded signature and time stamp. "This is dated right before the Great Turf War...this letter is a century old..." she states in disbelief, no one speaking as this new information is absorbed. _The Cap'n and Octavio had been driven into picking a side when the Great Turf War started...its why the Cap'n always showed mercy to Octavio...In the end, he was forced to splat his own friend..._ My own guilt started to settle in as I remember what I said to myself not long ago when Octavio was still captive. _I once wanted to splat Octavio...but now that I've done it...all I feel is regret...  
_

My tears give way to a hardened determination as I remember that it isn't over, my actions mirrored in the eyes of everyone present. We all knew what was expected of us now and while wiping my tears away, I put a hand forward palm down and watch as the other hands join in. Marie gives me an angry smile for overstepping her authority again but doesn't speak, all eyes now resting on the collected hands. "This won't be easy but we will put an end to this conflict eventually. This is for octarians and inklings everywhere so let's let them know that someone's fighting for them," Marie states in a commanding voice, my confidence lifted slightly by her words as we all nod in unison.

 _We're no longer inklings or octarians now...we're all squids now..._

* * *

 **END OF SCENE I**


	16. SCENE II: CK

**SCENE II: OCTARIA**

* * *

 **Chapter I: CK**

* * *

My Splattershot bucks in my hands as I spray cyan ink on a concrete wall that I dive into it to avoid a Splat Bomb thrown at me, green ink painting the ground from the explosion but coming nowhere near me. My mind wanders as I let my body go through its paces. _I never did like the Reef as a stage...too many elevations and vantages points for hostiles to attack from...however, a decent team evolves and adapts to the situation and makes the map a strength._ I feel my body sigh to itself even as I spring from the ink covered wall horizontally and pull the trigger on my Splattershot mid-flight, painting a green inkling with cyan ink until he explodes into a puddle. _When did I start sounding so old? I'm only 17._ I don't get to think further as I aim my Splattershot upwards and spray the ground, quickly going squid form to sink into a small patch the cyan ink.

My momentum comes to an immediate halt with a wet splat of ink as I impact the puddle but I quickly reorient myself and rise partly out of the ink to look around for more hostiles. Something taps me on the head and a shadow passes over me as Scurry steps on my head and dashes towards enemy turf, Splat Dualies painting the ground in front of her even as she dances out of the way of enemy ink sprays. Her body moves fluidly and gracefully, able to avoid the worst of the ink sprays directed at her even as she returns fire accurately at an unsuspecting Roller. I shake my head and fully rise out of the ink at a sprint, moving quickly but cautiously to follow in her wake. _She used to be such a nice inkling girl before she grew a year older...she's far more hotheaded and direct now..._

I follow a step behind in support, painting any ground Scurry missed with my Splattershot and watching her dance out of the way of Splat Charger sprays while throwing a Burst Bomb in the direction of the sprays, a green inkling diving off a ledge to avoid the explosion. With me being a step behind, another casual pull of my trigger splats the inkling before she can land and I only stop moving when Scurry does. Her hair starts to glow from a readied Special and she looks back over her left shoulder with a mad grin on her face, my mind already playing out what comes next. As if on cue, she raises both Dualies and presses the buttons on their handles to turn them into Tenta Missiles, maniacal laughter following her three volleys of missiles into the enemy spawn point. I move to stand next to her with a passive expression, having seen this same scene before multiple times. _It's a brutally effective tactic but not long term...all it does is buy time..._

I start speaking into the comm on my ear while watching the scene play out, re-spawning inklings splatted again before they can move too far even as I prepare for their eventual counter-attack. "Sheldon? Drosyn? How are you doing on your end?" I calmly say into the comm, the sound of a Splat Charger spraying the only response before Drosyn calmly replies. "We're fine, thanks for asking. You predicted correctly that the enemy team doesn't know how to handle aggression on two fronts." Sheldon chimes in seconds after, a Splattershot firing in the background as he speaks in a flustered tone. "Speak for yourself! They keep aiming at me!" he blurts as he continues to fire, my face smiling sarcastically at his expense. _Sheldon's the smallest target but every inkling wants to splat him before anyone else...I don't get it..._ "Are you still considering that paint job I recommended?" I ask sarcastically, his reply quick and jagged before I can say more. "For the last time, I'm not painting a target on my chest! They don't need more reasons to spray ink at me!"

My head nods idly as my eyes watch the green inklings gather together for a counterattack even as my squidphone enters my hands, the progress of the match now displayed in front of me. The other team begins to charges as I state with a smug smile, "Don't worry, Sheldon. The match ends right about-" The final whistle sounds, ending the match as I put away my squidphone calmly, not caring about Judd's judgement even as the green inklings stop moving and groan their frustration in unison at losing. Pearl blares over the loudspeakers to announce. "Game Over! Let's see what the results are!"

Scurry exhales dramatically while holstering her ink guns, casually leaning an elbow on my right shoulder while gesturing with her other arm at the mess she made of the stage. "It's a wonderful day, isn't it?" she says casually, her face leaning over to rub against mine as I exhale through my nose. "Not so much for them," I say while pointing at the other team with my left hand, the other inklings looking very disheartened at their loss. _They don't look like they're older than 14...young inklings getting their first taste of the turf...not a fun time...  
_

Pearl emphasizes my mental point when she continues announcing. "Team Cyan Kraken wins against Team Green Splatling 47% to 42%! A close match up until the last minute with some really fresh moves by Cyan Kraken!" I shrug to myself at the outcome, not feeling it's a true accomplishment given the opposition. Scurry thinks otherwise as she dramatically dips me back first into her right arm and kisses me deeply in front of everyone, my eyes open in surprise at the boldness of the move. I only halt her when she starts to use her tongue to brush my teeth, a wicked grin on her face when I close my mouth and push her away lightly. "Are you still afraid of what will happen if I tempt you to share ink on a stage?" she gloats at me, putting her forehead on mine even as I try to move her away. "I just don't think it's appropriate to do this in front of the teams," I retort smoothly, smiling at her antics even as I point at the other six participants of the turf war. Team Green Splatling are open-mouthed in surprise at the scene in front of them while Sheldon is being carried by Drosyn, both of their eyes rolling in annoyance at the scene.

Scurry seems to ignore the others and kisses me a few more times instead, eventually drawing back to add, "Let them watch...I don't mind..." Not wanting to cause more of a scene, I stand upright to remove myself from her arms and move towards the other team but Scurry persists by wrapping her arms around my neck from behind and keeping pace with me as we approach. The oldest member of the team looks about 15 and I offer a hand while saying gently with a smile, "Thanks for playing with us. It was a close match."

The green inkling girl in front of me shakes my hand lightly and has trouble forming full sentences. "Th..Thanks..um...for playing...with us too.." she stutters with a bright green blush on her face, Scurry laughing darkly over my shoulder when she sees the same thing. "Looks like _someone_ fell in love with you, Kosh," she taunts and I exhale through my nose, doing my best not to look annoyed as I release the handshake and offering the hand to the other members of Green Splatling in turn. _It must be scary shaking hands with not only the victor but with someone a head taller-_ The last member of the team pulls out a pen and takes off his hat after shaking my hand, offering them to me with head down. I smile and take the hat and pen from him to sign it inside and outside before handing them back, a dazed look now on his face when he sees the cyan Kraken symbol beneath my full name in the signature stylized form. "Let's play again sometime. You squids name the time and place," I say with an honest smile, each of them nodding quickly as I turn away.

I adjust Scurry's grip on my neck and feel her legs move near my hips, my arms automatically grabbing Scurry's legs as she rides on my back. Sheldon and Drosyn start to walk with us as we exit, the sound of cheerful exchanges behind us as we leave. "Someone is letting the fame get to his head a _little_ too much," Scurry gloats while ruffling my hair tentacles, the long tentacles now out of order from her handiwork. It only takes a few seconds for it to right itself but she ruffles the hair tentacles again when it does. "I'm liking the new hair! It makes you look more dashing and is definitely fresher than your old hairdo!" she exclaims without needing to, a sarcastic grin on my face revealing my teeth as one of her fingers goes in front of my mouth and pokes the left most tooth as she continues. "And I see the replacement tooth is growing well! I bet every inkling girl can't resist your bright smile and devious advances now!" she gloats as she rests her head on my shoulder, Drosyn and Sheldon laughing from our right at our exchange.

"You know I don't date," I state dryly while trying to concentrate on our destination. Scurry snorts over my shoulder as she starts to rant. "Yeah, you don't! Poor old me was seduced by you without even a first kiss or anything! I still have nightmares of you throwing me down and having your way with me..." she starts to rant but I simply smile and keep walking while listening to what creative additions she adds this time to our first meeting story. _I'm pretty sure there wasn't any violation of personal space, use of hair tentacles inappropriately, or physical abuse of any sort when we first started sharing ink...this is getting weird...  
_

There's a brief pause in her rant as we step into the spawn point and surge through the pipes as squids, rising out of the exit pipe in the Battle Lobby the same way we entered. "And when's the last time we even shared ink in passion anyway?!" I hear Scurry rant as I start to walk towards the main spawn point, my eyes already rolling before I retort. "Yesterday night in the room we share...I guess I didn't make enough of an impression..." I say calmly and am not surprised when she kisses me on the cheek lightly like she always does. _How can two hours of sharing ink not make an impression!? She's far too demanding!_ I hear her snort again as she blurts over my shoulder, "Well...you could have gone for another hour!"

"Maybe if you stay awake long enough-" I start to retort before she pokes my cheek with a finger with a huff of embarrassment. "I don't want to hear it...so who's up next?!" she blurts, changing the subject back to the task at hand. My squidphone is already in my hands when she asks, the next team to fight causing me to snort as I show the screen to Scurry who begins to laugh excitedly at the next opponent. "Ha! Team Vitamin Ink! What are the chances!? Giddy up! Let's not keep them waiting!" she orders while kicking me in the stomach playfully with the heel of her shoe, causing me to recoil and cough lightly from the force. "Alright, I'm going, I'm going..." I whisper, trying to chastise her by pushing my head against hers but only eliciting her face to rub against mine in enjoyment. "Aw...you do care..." she says in a happy voice but our moment is interrupted by a familiar inkling holding a Splat Charger in front of us frowning at our display.

"You still don't have her under control?" I hear Clementine say, team Vitamin Ink behind her as Scurry snickers from over my shoulder. "You're one to talk considering Whinter is wrapped around your tentacles," Scurry retorts with gusto as Clementine immediately blushes. Her response is more embarrassed than angry. "Hey! Whinter and I have a mutual relationship!"

"I bet you do but will it ever be more than a mutual relationship!? Poor Whinter's gonna explode if he doesn't release all that extra ink he's been storing for 3 years!" she exclaims with a laugh, my head turning slightly to regard her. _That's a new one...a bit too much truth..._ I try to ease the rising tension by interrupting the exchange with my own words. "Let Clementine and Whinter decide how they live their lives...and just because they aren't sharing ink doesn't mean they aren't a good couple." Scurry ignores me as usual, kissing me on the cheek before turning back to Clementine with another snicker. "You _really_ need to try it sometime...it's _so_ worth it..."

All I do is sigh and offer my hand to Clementine who shakes it with an embarrassed look on her face. Angelo and Taloupe move forward as well and shake my hand swiftly and with force. Tanrine shakes my hand in an energetic fashion, a huge smile on her face as she asks multiple questions about us, some of which we've already answered. "Fine! We'll see which couple has the better skills! To battle!" she exclaims in a mock commanding voice as she points a finger towards the main spawn point entrance which I sarcastically walk towards, both teams stepping onto it while my hand presses the launch button on my left. My head starts up to watch the counter count down until transmission and in a flash of ink, we arrive at a new turf to fight over.

* * *

My eyes quickly take in the scenery as soon as I can, my head nodding when I recognize it. _Moray Towers...plenty of high grounds on each side with a central low ground...ink rails scattered around as well..._ Marina starts to announce our entrance even as my mind keeps analyzing our terrain. "And here we are! Another Moray Towers turf war! This time, the new and upcoming Team Cyan Kraken is going up against the tried and true Team Vitamin Ink! Who will prevail?! The old school or the new?! Let's find out! Cyan Krakens, are you ready?!" she shouts and I snap myself back to the match and raise my Splattershot above my head, Scurry, Sheldon and Drosyn doing the same and cheering. "Team Vitamin Ink, are you ready?!" Marina adds in, the opposing team's shouts barely reaching us even as we all prepare for Marina's final lines. "Ready...GO!"

Scurry dashes straight towards the other team with me following behind, both of us inking a path and jumping off the nearest ledges to get to the centre quickly. Drosyn and Sheldon ink the ramps downwards in a slower pattern, proving supportive fire as we start to see the other team close in on the centre as well. I snort to myself even as I go squid form to absorb the impact from the fall. _Supportive fire...more like a Splat Charger dual between Drosyn and Clementine._ I didn't have time to think further because while we're jumping off of the second level of platforms, Scurry and I notice Tanrine painting the centre floor with energetic slashes of her Ink Brush. Mid-flight, I grab a Splat Bomb off my belt quickly and throw it right at her but knowing that she'd dodge out of the way. She dodges the direction I intend and Scurry quickly throws a Burst Bomb that follows her patch of evasions. She's able to dodge just enough to avoid the worst of the explosion but a few quick shots Scurry and I splat her and paint the ground. We hit the ground with a hard splat of ink and rise up quickly to undo her work, our ink guns spraying in different directions.

 _There!_ Taloupe moves out from behind a concrete barrier with a Suction Bomb in his hand, my Splattershot already firing at him as a reaction before he can arm and throw it. I'm surprised when he's caught in the ink spray mid-toss, splatting into a puddle of cyan as his bomb detonates prematurely. My body rotates swiftly with weapon raised when the sound of ink spraying reaches my ears but I only catch Scurry splatting Angelo as he tries to get the drop on both of us from a puddle of orange ink on the wall. I give myself an opportunity to sigh but decide to stay alert as well. _Team Vitamin Ink hasn't improved much in a year...I'm disappointed...  
_

Scurry is already rushing up the ramps of the enemies turf, painting it cyan in a mad sprint up the inclines. Having no other plan available, I quickly move after her, staying alert but letting my mind wanders anyway. _Let's see...Echolocator is active but not as effective if they can't splat us...so long as we keep an eye out for Angelo and Tanrine, we can slow their advance to a halt..._ Only during our ascent up enemy turf do I begin to recognize the sound of Splat Chargers firing both close by and in the distance, my head still panning around for any missed opponents even as we spray ink and advance. _Clementine is forced into a dual with Drosyn so Clem's no longer able to support her team-_

An ink shot hits me in the back without warning, throwing me forward a step but not unbalancing me as I twirl around swiftly to see Angelo with his weapon drawn. My Splattershot wheels around and spray ink in an arc until it points at him, his body diving into the ink to avoid the sprays and swim away. He doesn't quite make it and a few aimed sprays cause him to explode in a shower of cyan ink but not before springing out of the ink and spraying me a few times in the chest. I don't expect the sprays given the speed of his escape, grunting in pain as the ink impacts and starts to burn the front of my shirt even as I dive into the ink to heal the damage.

Scurry is firing from behind me again as I twirl her direction with my weapon in hand, a popping sound heard further along as she takes out another squid. My face pales when a Suction Bomb lands almost on top of her from behind, thrown from above by Taloupe without her hearing it. I dash forward desperately and move past the bomb to push Scurry forward out of the blast radius, her face snarling at me before she notices the bomb. A smile is on my face as the Suction Bomb goes off, the explosion splatting me in an instant and painting the ground orange. My inkling spirit ejects and slams back to the spawn point and I shake my laugh to myself at the unexpected end. _They **have** improved...they're just waiting for us to make mistakes. That charge was really reckless...  
_

I go to speak into my comm but stop when Scurry rises from the spawn point as well, a grim smile on her face as she shakes her head to remove excess ink. "Splat Charger," she mumbles and I can't help but smile at her, shaking my head as I make a retort. "You know better than to rush Clementine's position," I state but she's already rushing off towards enemy turf again with me a few steps behind. My squidphone is in my hand to get a quick update on the map and the sight doesn't make me too happy. _So far, it's an even match with us having a slight advantage...but that doesn't mean much with team Vitamin Ink..._ As I leap off the first ledge again, my squidphone goes back into my pocket and my form changes back into a squid to absorb another fall impact. Only when we start moving towards the second ledge do I talk to the comm. "The first minutes over. How're we doing, team?"

"Why is Clementine shooting at me?! Drosyn is the one shooting at her!" Sheldon says in a clearly flustered tone as Splat Charger sprays keep firing through the air. "I still say you need that paint job. They won't think to shoot someone with a bullseye on their shirt," I sarcastically state with a smile but the sound of a Splat Charger impacting very close stops any response from Sheldon. He responds as I'm leaping off the second ledge to the bottom floor. "OK, fine! I'll humour you, Kosh, but if it goes badly then you owe me!" he says angrily in reply and my face shows surprise that he finally agrees. The sound of another Splat Charger spray is followed by a popping sound in the distance and this time, Drosyn speaks instead of Sheldon. "Sorry, Sheldon. I missed the first few shots. Don't worry about us, Kosh. Our situation is under control."

"Sheldon, when _don't_ I owe you?" I say as I rise out of the ink of the bottom-most floor and, seeing no targets, start to paint the ground around me with my Splattershot. His response is immediate and biting, something I'm getting used to given the situation he's in on the turf. "When you can find a way for me to avoid the constant sprays aimed at me, you won't owe me!" Scurry is already running up the enemy ramp again and I have little option but to follow her up at a cautious sprint. _I've been considering the for Sheldon...a .96 Gal might work if he can lift it...plus with our reckless attacks, Ink Armor would be nice. But of course, that doesn't prevent him from getting shot at...it just stops the damage..._ I keep thinking this as Scurry and I run up the ramp, my head snapping upwards as a gush of ink sounds and a splash of orange ink flies in our direction. Scurry dances out of the way of the stream and I have to rapidly dive backwards to avoid the attack, Scurry returning fire at Taloupe who dives behind a barricade above us. I quickly spray ink on the wall nearby and dive into it as Scurry continues her rush up the ramp, my body swimming rapidly to try and attack Taloupe from the right as Scurry flanks from the left. When I finally get out of the ink on his level and slide along it with weapon raised, however, Tanrine is behind the barricade instead of Taloupe with her bright smile on her face. I stiffen when I notice her hand glowing orange.

Desperately, I try to dive back the way I came but it's already too late as Tanrine slams her right hand down, triggering a Splashdown that catches me in a blast of orange ink. I feel ejected again and sucked back to the spawn point and am not surprised when Scurry rises up with me. "Damn it! I wasn't expecting that!" she hisses, already moving forward off the ramp as I form a response and run after her. "Me neither...they've been training a lot, that's for sure." I look at my squidphone again and realize that Team Vitamin Ink now has the advantage and that the last minute of the match is counting down. Running after Scurry but unable to reach her, I shout as loudly as I'm able for her to stop. She halts at a slide on the ink and turns at me with a snarl, my fingers quickly pointing at a few orange patches below us which she sprays with her ink guns.

Her hair starts to glow as her head turns towards me with an evil grin. "Oh, you know how to impress a girl, don't you?" she whispers to me but I just move to stand next to her and point at the other team's turf. "Less flirting, more missiles!" I shout in a commanding voice, Scurry activating her Tenta Missiles and rapidly pulling the triggers to send out four volleys of missiles. Neither of us waits for them to impact and Scurry is first off the ledge, her form diving back first off with a grin on her face. I spread my arms and jump after her in response, her grin mirrored on my face as we both descend. _Time is running out and the match is close in score. Hopefully, that barrage can buy us time._

Tanrine is somehow still alive on the bottom floor when we move the leap off the second floor, inking everything she can with her Ink Brush with a high level of energy. Sheldon shouts excitedly like a zapfish come to life into the comm as we move to engage Tanrine. "I'm bringing the rain!" he shouts as Scurry and I hit the bottom and try to find Tanrine. _I wasn't paying attention for a second...where'd she go!?_ I go for my squidphone to try and see any trace of her on the map but am distracted when Drosyn rushes by us up the enemy ramp carrying Sheldon who's holding an Ink Storm, Scurry and I watching in wonder as she throws him up to a higher ramp so he can plant it.

His landing isn't as graceful as the throw but with a triumphant yell, he slams the Ink Storm on the ground. His jump is far more graceful than his landing, his body front off the ledge and rotating a few times before landing in Drosyn's arms, a cyan ink cloud forming to rain down ink on the area as Drosyn turns to run back up our ramp. Sheldon is spraying ink from his Splattershot as she runs, coating anything orange with cyan as Scurry and I continue to watch. "Yeah, they're totally sharing ink," I hear Scurry say as Drosyn runs by, my focus breaking from her comment as my squidphone goes back in my pocket and my Splattershot starts to spray around us in an attempt to get enough turf. _It's gonna be close-_

The ending whistle sounds as I start spraying, ending the match abruptly as Pearl starts announcing. "Game Over! Let's see how the teams did! I'm excited to see the outcome!" I pull my squidphone back out to watch Judd's judgement, Scurry on my right looking at the phone as well. We both look at the final judgement with mixed emotions, a mutual grunt of annoyance coming from both of us. _Team Vitamin Ink won...Tanrine must have gotten behind us when Sheldon deployed the Ink Storm..._ The end announcement emphasizes the loss. "Team Vitamin Ink wins against Team Cyan Kraken 46% to 45%! An extremely close match but the old school wins! Good job all around, squids!"

Scurry and I laugh ironically to ourselves at the outcome and I shake my head as I holster my weapons. "We forgot about her stealth jump," I say aloud as I sit down and try to unwind from the amount of action. _My theory is that Tanrine hid behind something and waited for us to get distracted, launching over our heads to the back lines with stealth jump...That's a clever trick, I admit..._ Scurry presses her body against mine and rubs my cheek with hers as we both stay seated, breaking my thought process and my analysis. "Well, if someone hadn't rushed me off the ledge, we might've seen her...dont you think?" she gloats as she shows her affection, my face remaining neutral even as I rub her face in return with mine. _She always does this when she loses...blaming it on me..._ "Yeah, I guess I'm getting rusty," I state as I move my face away and start rising to my feet but Scurry does so as well and turns me towards her. Our eyes meet as her face cracks into an evil grin and I smile back at her as we both think the same thing.

We pull each other into a kiss, letting the match end with a bang.


	17. Practice

**Chapter II: Practice**

* * *

Our kiss deepens even as six pairs of eyes start to watch, my eyes closing to both ignore the crowd and focus more on Scurry. Clementine tries to interrupt the moment by shaking my shoulder. "OK, break it up, Kosh," she says in annoyance but I lift my right hand off Scurry's back and extend my index finger to tell them to wait before returning the hand to its original spot. A few more seconds pass with Scurry and I enjoying the moment to ourselves before Clementine shakes my shoulder again. "C'mon! You still have to play against Splat Jam!" she shouts and the same hand leaves Scurry's back to go for my squidphone and bring it up in front of my opening eyes. A look of surprise crosses my face as I see the time and my mouth closes to break the kiss prematurely to Scurry's disappointment. "She's right. We need to go," I whisper rapidly as I turn around, Scurry not releasing her grip but allowing her arms to move around my neck as I turn.

"Oh, fine...have it your way," she says playfully over my shoulder as I grab her legs again, shouting as I start to run, "I'll see you all tonight! Text me if you want me to get anything extra!" My rush becomes a sprint that Drosyn and Sheldon keep pace with behind me, all of us heading up the ramps rapidly to get back to the spawn point. "Why do I have to carry you everywhere?" I ask Scurry as I sprint, her dark laughter in my ears as she nibbles my ear slightly. "I thought you liked carrying the team...that's what good leaders do, right?" she gloats at me before moving her nose against my cheek. I don't respond because I'm too busy running up the ramps as fast as possible, Drosyn stating from my right as we sprint side by side, "When will the rest of us have a turn to be carried then?"

"Don't encourage her," I say sarcastically with a smile on my face even as I leap into spawn point, our bodies going inkling form and swimming rapidly back to the Battle Lobby. "It's hard enough to get any of you to pull your own weight," I state as we rise from the exit spawn point, all of us laughing momentarily before we see Team Splat Jam standing near the main spawn point. Our laughter dies away when we notice Marian upset expression and as she notices us flying out of the exit spawn point, she starts to yell at me. "You idiot! You almost made me postpone the match until tomorrow! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"No time Battle Lobby closes soon sorry again let's go!" I blurt while sprinting towards the main spawn point, the others falling in behind me even as Marian groans in frustration and orders her team to follows her on. Without further preamble, I slam my left hand onto the start button and gasp in gratitude that it activates. _Just made it...that was a close one..._ The countdown triggers as my breathing starts to slow down and in a flash of ink, we move to our next destination.

"Easy, love. You'll cough out your insides breathing like that," Scurry says while brushing my chin with one of her hair tentacles. All I can give her is an exhausted grin as I shake my head of excess ink and check out where we are on my squidphone. _Sturgeon Shipyard...a relatively flat map with ups and downs...plenty of covers to hide behind._ Scurry lets go of me completely but instead of falling to the ground, she puts her hands on my shoulders and somersaults over my head and lands in front of me, her Splat Dualies already in her hands and twirling by the triggers. "How dare Marian interrupt our intimate moment with a turf war! I won't stand for it!" Scurry shouts at the team on the other side of the turf, her fingers still spinning her Splat Dualies by the triggers even as the rest of us move to stand next to her.

I look around the map before I look at the rest of the team, trying not to laugh when I see Sheldon with a bullseye on his shirt and a .96 Gal that he struggles to lift in his hands. "Wow...you really did it...do I sound stale when I say I was joking with you when I asked?" He gives me a sour look for a few moments before responding bitterly, "Laugh it up, CK...laugh it up..." I do as instructed as he uses my diminutive title. _CK, the Cyan Kraken...I never call myself that..._ I have to calm down before responding _._ "Ouch Sheldon, that stings a lot. I'm sorry if I offended," I say sarcastically with a mock smile of remorse, holding my chest in fake pain as I say this.

"Team Cyan Kraken, are you ready?!" I hear from the loudspeakers, my smile dropping as I turn back around and focus again. _I almost forgot about the match!_ Raising my Splattershot above my head, I listen to the others shout their readiness. "Team Splat Jam, are you ready?!" I hear from the loudspeakers and I can the other team raising their weapons in defiance even as they mirror us in tensing for the final statement. "Ready!...GO!"

"Two and two, both sides! Scurry and I have the left!" I quickly shout, Scurry running ahead of me spraying an ink path as Drosyn picks up Sheldon who starts to fire his new ink gun while she runs. The deep thump of it spraying sounds even as he talks into the comm. "This thing has _crazy_ recoil! I'll have to modify it so I can use it!" he shouts but I can't answer because Scurry points up ahead at our first target. Whinter is rolling towards us with a happy grin on his face and staring at the ground instead of the distance, likely oblivious to our approach as Scurry looks back at me and puts a finger to her lips for quiet with a grin. She dives to the right as I keep running forward towards Whinter, shouting as soon as I'm within range of him, "Hey, Whinter! Lucky you that you're my first target!"

He looks up in surprise but his grin doesn't fall from his face. "Should I feel honoured by that?" he shouts back while lifting his Roller and quickly flinging ink at me, forcing me to hide behind a nearby wall to avoid the ink. I blind spray my Splattershot around the corner even as more blue ink comes flying my direction. "I'm not sure! Do you feel honoured by it!?" I shout with amusement as my head looks quickly to the left to see if there were any other targets. _Good...Logan isn't in a sniping position on that side yet._ I look back to my right to see Whinter sliding on the ink at speed with his Roller lifting to flatten me, my body quickly diving away from the wall at my back as he brings his Roller down with a wet splat. "Who taught you to do that?!" I say with shock at the amount of speed and precision his swings had. _I barely got out of the way of that._ Whinter continues to grin even as he swings his Roller at close range in an attempt to splat me with a weapon impact.

"Oh, a few videos," he says jokingly as swings his Roller again, forcing me to holster my weapon and focus on full evasion. "-A few practice rounds," he continues as he swings again, reversing his Roller the other direction as he steps after me. "-and a lot of yelling from Marian." he finishes as he flips the Roller around and brings it down for a vertical blow. I laugh at the last reason even as I continue to dodge, falling onto my back to avoid another horizontal blow even as I pull the trigger of my Splattershot from its holster. He dives backwards back down the ramp at the unexpected sprays on ink as I take the weapon out of its holster and coat the ground around me with ink. I slam my back into the wall again with a weapon in hand before peaking around the corner that Whinter just ran around. Scurry is already in position and catches Whinter with a Burst Bomb and a few sprays of ink before he realizes he's being attacked.

I feel a little sad when I see the puddle of his demise. _Sorry, Whinter...it's a team game, after all..._ Scurry doesn't have time to revel in her victory because she has to dive forward to avoid a spray of ink that flies towards her. Her weapons spray ink, mid-dive, for her to swim through and my weapon finishes the path to me as I go back into cover. I shimmy my body along the wall to peek around the other side and barely lean back into cover in time before a spray of ink from his E-Liter 3K flies at me. _That was close! That shot nearly inked my head off!_ I look back to my right to see Scurry next to me, her back to the wall and an evil grin on her face as I try to calm down and go for my comm. "Logan's in position! You got em, Drosyn?" I state into the comm as a Splat Charger sounds in the distance, a stream of ink flying from her position towards our assailant.

"He knew I'd spray at him and evaded it...Marian is thinking ahead," Drosyn adds in calmly, her shots very sporadic as she aims each one for maximum damage. "Watch out for Vadelma. She might be on your side," I caution as I look back at Scurry, gesturing with my chin for her to follow me and turning back to dive off the ledge to my left. A sound move becomes a big mistake because of one detail that I notice too late. _Vadelma isn't on Drosyn's side!_

I look to my left mid-air to see Vadelma with her usual passive smile on her face and her Luna Blaster aimed right at me, likely waiting quietly for us to move. I can't do anything but watch her pull the trigger to send a short range burst of ink flying towards me, my body exploding in an instant and my spirit ejecting to the spawn point. My head shaking off excess ink angrily as I start to move from the spawn point. "Correction, Vadelma was on our side and splatted me. I'm heading out again," I update into my comm, slightly frustrated by being caught so easily. _Marian was always an excellent tactician...I gotta focus!_

I ink what ground I can as I run back to Scurry's position, my squidphone out to look at the map as my other hand sprays my Splattershot one-handed. _The first minutes over and Team Splat Jam is winning...someone painted the centre map while we split up..._ "Scurry, keep guarding the left flank. I need to find Whinter," I state but she responds sarcastically over the sound of ink flying in the background, "Breaking up with me already? I'm heartbroken." I groan into the comm in response to her comment but start to head towards the centre anyway to paint the centre areas cyan, putting away my squidphone so I can wield my weapon with both hands. _I have to be careful in case-_

A Roller comes out of nowhere as I move past a wall, the weapon coming straight at me and giving me barely enough time to dodge. I have to take a glancing blow to the left shoulder to avoid being splatted, the ink stinging my body and I spin away. "Ambushing too?! You've gotten dangerous, Whinter!" I exclaim as I throw myself to the ground to avoid a horizontal blow at close range. _He's getting good at close range rolling!_ Whinter has his usual grinning face even as he spins the Roller in his hands to ink flicking position. "I try to impress is all!" he chuckles but instead of flicking ink as I thought, he turns around rapidly and rolls quickly away as I spray at him with my Splattershot. _Something's off...but this is my chance..._ "Running away already?!" I shout at his back as I press the attack, spraying ink at him but my sprint not fast enough to get in range. "Nope, just waiting!" he shouts back as he strangely points upwards while rolling away and my stomach lurches when I recognize the gesture. _He's done that gesture before..._

I immediately regret chasing him when I hear the familiar sound of an ink strike falling, my body stopping as I spin around and dive into the ink path I just made to swim for my life. I barely make it out of the strikes range, a massive geyser of blue ink bursting skywards behind me as I dive behind cover and breath a sigh of relief. _We forgot about Marian!_ _She always tries to build up her ink strike quickly!_ I press my back against the wall behind me and try to focus, a grin rising to my face as I reach a conclusion. _This is a good match!_

I go for my comm again to get updates from the others, Drosyn the first to reply. "They're moving teammates to different locations to throw us off," she states as she takes another shot, the spray disappointingly producing no pop sound in the distance as team Splat Jam evades her fire. _Drosyn is still holding the right side with Sheldon and their side is barely touched...which means they're focusing our side...probably because Scurry and I rush and don't defend..._ "Hold there and keep painting as much as you can. We'll-"

"Got you! Take that, Luna Blast girl!" I hear Scurry shout over the comm excitedly, my squidphone going to my face to see her icon moving back my direction. _That must've been a long dual._ I peak around the cover behind me to observe her position up ahead, seeing her dive towards me and behind a wall to avoid a shot from Logan. I don't have time to do anything when Whinter rolls up to her from behind and smears her with a Roller swing from behind. "Where did he come from?!" I hear over the comm a few seconds after she spawns and I lurch back into cover before responding. "They're all trying really hard this match..." I reply and judging from the map on my squidphone, team Splat Jam is winning by a large margin with a majority of the turf now painted dark blue. "I think they got us...any ideas?" I say into the comm with little confidence, the second-minute ending and the music increasing the pace of our impending loss.

I wait a few seconds but no one answers. _That's bad...I guess we're all stumped..._ I exhale in anger as I look at the map, trying my best to analyze our situation for any kind of solution. An answer arrives by itself when I hear the hiss of an ink stream in the background, my body moving forward and turning around to ink the cover behind me so I can swim up to the top. I laugh when I see a Sting Ray spraying from nearby towards team Splat Jam's, noting two popping sounds as squids are splatted behind cover. "Specials in order!" I command as I dive back to ground level to avoid unnecessary ink sprays, rising from the ink rapidly and surging around the cover to charge up the centre with Splattershot spraying.

I rush forward into the open ground, painting the area cyan as the team starts unleashing their Specials in sequence. "This is revenge, Splat Jam!" I hear Scurry shout over the comm as she unleashes a two volley from her Tenta Missiles, Whinter rolling my direction and lifting his Roller to toss ink at me before the Tenta Missiles splat him. Ink Armor springs up around my body as I keep advancing, giving me glowing cyan eyes and coating my body with a protective layer. "Go get 'em, team!" I hear Sheldon shout into the comm and I say my thanks in a warbling voice as Scurry joins my charge from the left.

Together, we rush down the centre of the stage painting everything along the way cyan. The whistle of another ink strike sounds overhead but neither of us slows down, the ink strike going off right on top of us but only smashing our Ink Armor as we continue our mad charge. Whinter is rolling right at me with hair tentacles glowing and a wide grin on his face, his expression rising to my face as we nod lightly to each other. "Scurry! Whinter and I have to have words!" I shout over the comm as I surge forward, holstering my weapons and jumping forward as we both morph into Kraken form.

We collide with the heavy splat of massive ink bodies and what once was a civil turf war becomes a crushing dual of two Kraken's slamming each other across the ground. The battle around us is forgotten as Whinter and I brawl but it only takes a second for me to realize something significant. _He's winning!_ Whinter has more experience with his Kraken form than me, slamming me around with practised ease and crushing impacts from his tentacles. I use my limbs to pick him up and throw him back towards his team's turf but he rebounds off a wall, flying right back at me like a projectile and knocking me back with his bodies weight. My tentacles grabbing his mantel mid-flight and force him to the ground with a splat of ink but his tentacles grab my mantel in return to throw me behind him. I hit the ground hard, ink splatting out of me like a sponge as I'm unable to slow my momentum. My ink chills as a shadow looms over me and I turn around fast enough to see him reaching for me to continue his attack.

"..1..Finish!" Pearl announces over the loudspeakers, the ending whistle sounds as we both morph back into inkling form involuntarily, both of us wearing a look of surprise at the sudden ending to our duel. I go for my squidphone in my right pocket to see the judgement as Whinter does the same, Whinter sighing happily as I start to grin in triumph. Pearl announces our feelings moments later. "Team Cyan Kraken wins against Team Splat Jam 43% to 42%! Another close match with a fantastic ending! Rarely do we get to see the Cyan Kraken in action, let alone a brawl of Krakens! Good job, teams!" I lay on my back with an exhausted groan, looking into the night sky and breathing hard from exhilaration and exhaustion.

My head eventually looks around to see Whinter still standing in the same spot before he too collapses to the ground in an exhausted heap, also breathing hard but laughing to himself as well. "Well...I guess...you won...," he gasps between breaths, my response slow in coming as I try to steady my breathing. "Yeah...I guess...we did..." I gasp in reply, closing my eyes for a second and exhaling deeply from the exhaustion. _Zapfish, I'm so tired...but that was exhilarating..._ I wait until my breathing returns to normal before rising to a sitting position, my entire body sore and protesting at having to move. "You OK?" I ask Whinter with a croak, his face smiling at me as he takes a few moments to wind down. "Yeah, I'm fine...I'm used to it...What about you?...You rarely use the Kraken..." he asks with obvious concern and my head lolls back in way of response. _I feel sore...really sore..._ "I'm OK...just _really_ tired," I manage to say as I try to stand but my body fails and I fall back into a sitting position. "Give it a second, Kosh...it takes a lot out of you to use the Kraken..." Whinter cautions me and I nod my head idly as I continue to rest.

The rest of the teams are gathering around us, my head lolling back to try and see each squid and finding excited faces on everyone despite whoever won. My head lolls skyward in exhaustion as I find myself laying on my back again, still exhausted as Scurry sit down next to me. "That was...interesting to watch but...it really didn't do much tactically..." she says in a critical tone, laughter my only response as I roll my head in her direction. "Yeah...but it felt amazing..." I say with a weak grin and a content sigh before turning my head back skywards. _If I have to call that moment anything...it felt like destiny..._

Scurry shoves my side roughly and I wince in pain at the sudden move. "Don't go all prophet on us just for pulling off a rare stunt," she says playfully and I groan in annoyance at her words. _I guess I said that aloud..._ Marian is standing over me from my left before I can continue, staring daggers into my eyes but I'm too tired to display any other emotion but exhaustion. To my surprise, she doesn't stay hostile for long, sighing to me and offering a hand which I shake awkwardly from the ground. "That was a great match, I admit...but we'll win next time," she states while adjusting her glasses, my face smiling weakly as I nod. _She sounds much calmer than she usually is after a loss...I guess that's good..._ "I really hope there isn't the next time...you had us on the ropes most of the match," I say with a chuckle, my right arm reaching up weakly for Scurry who throws it over her shoulder and helps me into a sitting position. It takes a few tries to get to my feet even with her help and when fully on my feet, I stumble as we start to move. "Alright, steady...put your weight on me...nice and easy..." she says in a concerned voice and I grin at her before pulling out my squidphone with my left hand awkwardly.

A brief glance at the screen tells me what happens next. "We still have to go shopping," I say as I start to open texts messages and read the demands for us to pick up ingredients from Fresh Emporium. "I swear at the rate you guys put away food, I'm gonna go broke," I state sarcastically with a weak smile and Scurry pokes me on the right side with her left elbow, a grunt escaping me from the sudden sting. "You chose to offer and we all know you're too generous to stop buying," Scurry states playfully, my feet stumbling a few times before I start to walk normally towards the spawn point. I turn my head weakly to the left to address the others as I stumble onward with assistance.

"The match is over, friends...time for the after party..."


	18. Family

**Chapter III: Family**

* * *

We leave the Fresh Emporium carrying multiple bags of ingredients on every arm and hair tentacle we had at our disposal, the conversation with Scurry as we exit the store becoming more inappropriate as we walk. "Seriously, how would Sheldon even share ink with Drosyn anyway? The size difference is significant and Dros doesn't come off as a touchy-feely kind of girl," Scurry says to me while putting a hand on her chin to ponder, the bags along with her arm following her movement. She seems to come up with her own answer when she grins and adds to her thoughts. "I bet he found a way. Sheldon's a smart squid and the worst thing I can imagine is that he just can't reach everything at once when they do it-"

"Can you guys not talk about that while I'm right behind you!?" Sheldon exclaims from behind us, Scurry and I stopping to turn towards the source of the outrage. Drosyn is carrying multiple bags along with Sheldon who has a hand on his face in embarrassment. "I keep telling you guys! We...we haven't even reached friend status, let alone intimate status!" Drosyn tilts her head slightly to the right and looks down at Sheldon, the groceries in her hair tentacles drooping downwards to the ground in response. "I had thought we had established that we are friends," she states in her usual even tone, Sheldon blurting out quickly in response while still embarrassed, "That was part of an experiment to see if you knew how to respond! I keep reminding you of that!"

Scurry and I look at each other and share a brief chuckle, both of us already turning back around to keep walking towards the penthouse. The sound of bags rustling behind me tells me that Drosyn is still behind us. _It must be hard for Sheldon...he had to teach Drosyn basic conversation skills...but she's still so blunt when speaking and has no problems with physical contact..._ I shake my head to clear the distracting thoughts so I can focus on the current moment, a few blocks of walking carrying us to our living arrangements. _A penthouse in an apartment building...I'm not going to ask why that is..._

The lobby is empty this late at night but a few squids are still lounging on the couches when we enter, some of them regarding us with disinterest. I ignore them and focus on the elevator on the other side of the room, striding swiftly to it and pressing my finger to the button with a rustle of bags. The four of us stand in front of the door in relative silence as I watch the floor indicator countdown with impatience, my foot tapping a rhythm into the floor in impatience even as the elevator doors opens. A pair of inklings is inside chatting with each other as they walk past us with a look of curiosity, the four of us ignoring them and heading inside. A quick tap of the eighth-floor button sends us on our way and a sigh escapes me as we're forced to wait again. _Elevators are meant to be swifter travel upwards yet it feels so much slower._ I hear some sort of music behind me and turn to see Sheldon on his squidphone, listening to what sounds like Color Pulse by Off The Hook. Scurry does the same thing with a grim smile on her face as she states to Sheldon, "Don't let Callie and Marie hear you listening to that. You know they have a rivalry with Off The Hook."

Sheldon quickly stops the music as the elevator dings to a stop and the doors open, my feet already moving out of the confined space towards the third door on the right. _Apartment 83...our home...finally..._ I pull out my squidphone awkwardly with my right hand and put it on the scanner on the wall, a click signalling the door unlocking as I shoulder it inwards. "We're home..." I say groggily as Team Vitamin Ink and Splat Jam turn towards us from the couches in the living room ahead of us. Each member greets us in their own way with waves and greetings until Clementine starts making her remarks. "I heard what happened with team Splat Jam and even got a recording from Squidtube," she states with amusement, the image and sounds of a Kraken dual playing out visible on the TV screen. "If the timer hadn't run out, Whinter might've splatted you across the ground," she adds with further amusement, Whinter shrugging in embarrassment at me because of her comment.

I don't answer with words, shrugging instead as I start moving towards the kitchen on my right. "I bet he would've but he's been using that Special far longer than I have..." My eyes do a rapid headcount of the occupants of the room and the number of heads doesn't add up. "Where're the Sisters?" I ask the others on the couches, Clementine answering for the collective. "They're running late again...the crowd keeps asking for encores and they keep delivering...you know how they are..." She presses a few buttons on her squidphone and the TV screen changes screens to a live stream of their current concert. I can tell from experience that although they look energetic on stage and look like they're having fun, the amount of time performing was taking its toll. "I wish I could've gone but you know..." Clementine remarks with a shrug, my head already nodding in understanding.

"Yeah, orders are orders," I state dryly even as I start piling up ingredients on the counter table for prep, Scurry, Sheldon, and Drosyn doing the same and starting to prepare for the prep work. _Fulfill a certain number of matches per day to keep our skills sharp for operations in octarian territories...that's a mouthful...and it isn't the same as a real battle..._ My hands are already unbagging all of the groceries with practised movements, each category of food separated out and put into specific areas for the proper squids to do their prep. Once I'm sure that everything is in order, I move around the counter table and go to the fridge, pulling it open and glancing inside to double check the stock. My head nods in satisfaction as it always does before closing the door. "Looks like we got everything...nice," I muss to myself, my head snapping down when I feel an apron being put on my body from behind, grunting slightly when the back cord is tied a little too tightly. I don't bother checking who it was, quickly flourishing towards the teams on the couch with my hands. "Well, as is tradition," I say to the teams as they turn their heads to regard me, their faces smiling ironically at my theatrics. "The winners cook dinner and since we won the last match, that means us." _Sometimes I think the teams lose on purpose so that I have to cook...I understand that...nothing against Clementine and her teams cooking but it just doesn't have as much flair for the dramatic._

I'm already turning back towards the kitchen and snort to myself when I see Drosyn's knife work, her hand moving the knife at a speed and precision that I've never been able to match. It mesmerizes me to the point that I see her slam the knife down hard enough so that it flies into the air, my face concerned for a moment as it twirls a few times in the air before being caught again in her hand to continue cutting. Some of the squids watching us work clap excitedly at the display of skill, my head shaking as I move past her. _I guess showing off is contagious..._ Sheldon doesn't seem to notice any of this as he displays his impressive skill with noodles, his knack for calculations coming into play as his dexterous hands cut each noodle to the ideal dimensions. _Sometimes I wonder if his genius borders on the supernatural..._ My destination is at the far end of the counter but I catch Scurry grinning too enthusiastically at the stove top, all of the burners on at once. _I really think she just enjoys fire and explosions a little too much...but then again, who doesn't?_

She doesn't even notice me behind her as I reach my own prep station next to Sheldon, a few packaged fishes laying next to a cutting board. My face grimaces as I start unpacking the fishes. _Do I have trust issues? It doesn't feel right to have someone else do this for me..._ With a practised hand, I start to slide the knife along each fish to descale them on both sides, the process only taking a few seconds but muscle memory kicking in as I move the fishes to the sink and go through the motions. _Rinse on high pressure to get any excess scales off...cut the spines from dorsal fins to rear fins...rip the skins off-_ My right fingers pinch each skin of each fish from the front and with a swift yank, the skin comes off each one with a tearing sound and is tossed into the empty sink nearby. _Rinse them again...cut from rear fins to heads along the stomachs...remove the innards-_ The knife is already leaving my right hand as my left holds the first fish, the right hand shoving into the fish and thoroughly removing the guts with a few movements even as I move on to the next fish. _Remove the heads...cut from rear fins to noses...split them open along the cuts and remove the bones from-_

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're enjoying yourself, Kosh," Scurry states from my left in a dry tone, my motions stopping as I turn my head towards her to regard the dark smile on her face. "I...don't think I enjoy it...I'm just going through the motions like I always do..." I respond timidly while moving back to the fish in front of me, the fingers of my right hand already digging through the fish in front of me and tearing bones out rapidly but not too quickly to avoid damaging the fish itself. "And how come you don't keep the skin on? Can't you just crisp the skin?" Scurry continues as I shrug more out of habit than uncertainty while already gathering up the fish pieces and moving them back to the cutting board. "I mean...I did do that a few times before but breading is just more...delicious," I respond over my shoulder even as I turn back to bread the fish pieces in front of me and place them on a prepared baking sheet, both of my hands working independently to decrease the time if preparation. Checking each piece for an even coat of bread, I arrange each fish so that it's with its parts before picking up the sheet and going for the oven.

Scurry doesn't move out of the way and I move to her right to see why as a knowing grin crosses her face. I try to nudge her out of the way but she remains in place. "What's the password?" she whispers to me, my face remaining neutral despite my irritation. "Uh...Please?" I retort as nicely as possible but her head shakes no once with the same grin. "Wrong...try again."

"Uh...Kraken?" I state with increasing frustration but she shakes her head no again with a sigh through her grin. "Still wrong...you gotta try harder than that-" It was my turn to sigh at that point as I lean in close to her face and kiss her on the cheek, her grin widening further as I try not to drop the baking sheet in my hands. "Better," she says as she finally moves out of the way, my left hand rapidly opening the oven as my other hand sticks the breaded fish in. The oven closes with a thump and I'm already leaning over the stove slight to set the timer on the oven. "This is so different...a digital timer built into the stove..." I muss to myself but Scurry hears me anyway. "Are you that stale that you can't handle the fresh?" she gloats at me as I stand next to her, my face unchanging as I help her watch the stove. "I'm used to the egg timer is all...it dings louder-"

"But it's less accurate and we can make the stove louder if we wanted but _you_ turned the volume down," she corrects as her right hand and hair tentacle stop stirring pots so that I can take over. In each pot is a different meal. "Call me old fashion I guess," I reply as I start to stir with my right hand and a hair tentacle. "OK, my parts are done! I need to go modify-" Sheldon blurts from behind us and Scurry and I turn on the spot and use our hair tentacles to keep stirring even as we watch Sheldon try to leave. Drosyn picks him up as he does so, his feet running uselessly beneath him before he notices he's in the same place. "Are we not going to have dinner first?" she asks him innocently and I can hear Scurry trying not to laugh at the cuteness of the situation. Even I feel the cuteness, a cringing smile rising to my face before I can stop myself.

Sheldon's head turns to the right to say something but turns back around quickly when he notices how close he is to Drosyn. I snort to myself when I realize that she's holding him close to her chest as she always does. _Careful where you look, Sheldon._ "I just wanted to get some blueprints in before the food hits the table! C'mon, let me go!" he says in annoyance as he tries to open Drosyn's hands, my eyes already rolling when he does. _You've tried that before..._ Drosyn, for her part, shakes her head no and continues to hold onto Sheldon even as he tries to get out of her grip. "Is it not ideal for us to eat together as a family?"

 _Family..._ The mood changes swiftly at the mention of family, everyone in the kitchen pausing for a second as the silence starts to stretch. Even the conversations on the couches pause when the bubbling of pots becomes the only noises from us. I make sure to stop any tears that would form before they form, wiping my eyes cautiously before saying gloomily to the others, "Yeah...family..." The words have a similar effect on the couch squids but knowing that this has happened before, I don't let the mood last and force myself to smile while changing the subject. "Of course, Sheldon, if you want to go without eating-"

It's no small relief when he jumps on the change in topic. "OK, you made your point! I'll eat with you guys! Jeez!" he blurts as he folds his arms across his chest, his face bright orange as Drosyn squeezes him against her chest and sets him down on the counter. Her right hand gives him a few pat on the head but he doesn't respond, too embarrassed by the attention to turn around. Scurry wraps her arms around my neck suddenly and her head nestles on my left shoulder. "C'mon, Sheldon...maybe you might get friendlier with Drosyn if you just-"

"OK, you made your point! Jeez!" he blurts in further embarrassment as his face blushes more, both of his hands going to his face to hide it as even Drosyn starts to blush, her face glowing bright purple even as she continues to clean up her work area. "OK, OK, let them be," I say calmly to Scurry as I turn back towards the stove, our hair tentacles continuing the stir but Scurry still holding onto me. My mind starts to wander as we stir, taking in the kitchen again even though I've done so several times before. _This kitchen is **much** better ventilated and cooled then the one in Octo Canyon...and I c_ _an't say I miss our backwater home on the border of Inkopolis..._ The timer on the stove goes off and with practised efficiency, Scurry lets go of me to manage the stove as I open the oven and take out the baking sheet, inspecting each fish to make sure it's fully cooked before moving it to counter to cool. My mind is still wandering as I turn back to Scurry who wraps her arms around me again. _A lot has changed from that year...the_ _Octarian Liberation Splatoon minus the Cap'n...the new leader of the octarians forming Octaria...all this publicity with team Cyan Kraken...my whole life is different now..._

"Bad memories again?" I hear Scurry say over my shoulder as her arms start to squeeze me in an attempt to bring me back to the kitchen. I sigh lightly to myself before responding. "Yeah...everything's different now...plus Glag and the experiments..." I don't need to say more since we were all there on that mission, the horrors of seeing the dead brought back as doppelganger ink clones a dark stain on all of us. _I've seen a lot of twisted things in the Squidbeak Splatoon but that...that goes beyond everything..._

My reverie is broken when another timer goes off on the oven, both of us looking at the stove before Scurry sigh and continues to hug me. "C'mon, Kosh...you can't lose your game face now...we'll talk about this later..." she whispers before kissing me on the cheek, my face starting to smile sadly as I nod. Together we gather up nearby potholders to grab the two pots each of us had, moving them quickly to the main dining table as everyone else notices our actions. They start to pile into their seats as the first of the food starts to be placed on the table but are disciplined enough to wait for the order to dig in. I notice Tamrine drooling on the table again like she always does, Logan already putting napkins under the landing drops of ink as I nod to him in thanks. His response is to adjusts his hat with a nod of his own. "You need to let it go, Kosh...that part of your life is done now," Scurry persist in a whisper beside me as we keep carrying dishes to the table, my head shaking ruefully with a grim smile at her presence. _Scurry, as always, disobeys..._ "You know I can't just let go of things...not until we end those experiments and bring the new leader of Octaria down anyway-"

"You're gonna drive yourself insane if you keep thinking about vengeance. That and Marie would never allow you to usurp her command," she states, starting serious but ending with amusement in her voice. I sigh angrily at her attempts to consul me, my anger briefly flaring but quickly snuffed out as I pick up more prepared dishes from the counter. She notices the rapid change in mood and comments on it. "See? You're already getting worked up by it. You can't let that be the reason you fight-" _I know she's right...the greater goals of peace among two species and freeing a land from oppression take priority...it's what the Cap'n would do..._

As we pick up the last dishes on the counter, I state with some satisfaction, "That's why I won't be fighting for myself when I'm out there again. I'm doing this for the Cap'n." I can't see her face at this point but she doesn't pursue the conversation further and I shake my head slightly to try and banish the bad mood building. "Hungry squids are hungry so..." I say aloud to the group as I start to deposit the last tray of baked fish in hand, making a show to the annoyance of the other of pretending to place it just to pick it up a few times. When I finally place it, I give everyone present the thumbs up with both hands and watch with grim amusement as the madness be unleashed.

The front door lunges open loudly, ushering in an exhausted Callie and Marie still dressed in their stage costumes. Marie is putting a hand on the leftmost wall to steady herself while Callie tries to say something with a smile but collapses face first onto the floor. I quickly rush over and flip Callie over and smile to myself when she sniffs the air. "Food?" she says weakly with eyes closed as I pick her up in my arms, offering my shoulder to Marie who puts her right arm over it. "Make a hole. Exhausted idols coming through," I say unnecessarily in the spurt of the moment. _The dramatic effect than actual need...I can't help it sometimes..._ Callie is surprisingly light as I place Callie down gently in her chair, grabbing some of Callie's favourite, Red Salmon Onigiri, off of a plate in the centre of the table and putting it in front of her face. Her eyes half open and her nose sniffs a few times before her face lunges forward, nearly biting my hand to get the sushi. "Easy! I still need that hand!" I exclaim in surprise but she isn't listening, chewing the sushi rapidly and already moving to grab more food with her hands and hair tentacles. I chuckle to myself and move Marie to her own seat, a brief thank you accompany the thump of her falling into it.

The noise of Callie inhaling food draws my attention and the attention of everyone at the table, some of them pausing in their own eating to watch. _Callie's back to normal and it still surprises me that she can eat so much and still stay slim._ I turn back to check on Marie who seems normal as well, her posture sure as she sips some milk tea and eats sushi from the plate in front of her. Only then to I take my own seat next to Scurry with a thump on the chair and a groan of exhaustion. "I'm glad that's over," I exhale but smile when a piece of sushi is put in front of me on a pair of chopsticks. I open my mouth out of habit when I hear Scurry command me to open, allowing her to put a piece of sushi into it. I don't even bother to chew it, lifting my head upwards and gulping it down to her visible annoyance. "You're gonna get sick if you don't chew," she says with concern, my response to grin as my head points upwards in defiance. "What are you, my mom?"

"No, I'm your lover and from what I know, that holds as much sway...now open," she commands as she offers another sushi, a sigh escaping me as I open my mouth again to accept more sushi. This time I chew it thoroughly before swallowing. _It's still odd that no one at the table is uncomfortable with our status as a couple...I guess that what friendship does for you...  
_

"Sheldon, why did you have a bullseye painted on your shirt when we battled?" Marian asks with a straight face while sipping lavender tea, my face cringing slightly when I hear the question but failing to prevent a chuckle. _That was blunt but really funny._ I can tell that most of the room is trying not to laugh as well and Sheldon swiftly points at me in accusation with a sour face. "It was his idea! He said that if I wore it, you wouldn't spray as much ink at me! Yeah, it worked that one time but I still looked ridiculous!"

I chuckle again as I look away in resignation. _The reason he didn't get shot at was team Splat Jam focusing on Scurry and I._ I turn back and shrug before responding sarcastically, "Hey, it worked, didn't it? Plus you chose to wear it after I said I was joking so I'm not all to blame." Sheldon is still irritated and retorts in growing frustration, "Only because you can't swap gear once the match starts! But you knew that, didn't you?! That was a setup!" He takes a drink of the lavender tea in front of him, sighing to himself before continuing his rant with an evil grin. "I still need to modify that .96 Gal to have less recoil but-"

Drosyn puts a hand on Sheldon's head suddenly mid-rant, causing him to jump and turn his head towards her. "Do not speak of modifications at the table. Save it until after," she states calmly but firmly and Sheldon quickly nods and continues to sip his tea awkwardly. The conversation doesn't persist after Drosyn's proclamation. _I would be scared too if I had someone multiple times my height telling me what to do and moving me about._ Scurry notices my stare at Drosyn and pokes me on the cheek playfully to get my attention. "Glad you have me instead of her?" she asks mockingly and I sigh and smile in response. "A little...though I can do without the sarcasm sometimes..." I whisper to her but she grins at me as we both take a drink of milk tea.

 _Life is so different now..._

* * *

The meal doesn't last long, the food going down in less time then it took to make. The noise of Callie asleep in her chair catches my attention and I groggily move over to her while also noticing Marie drifting in and out of sleep in her chair. Neither of them had spoken during the meal but no one complained because of the concert. _They needed to rest after such a long show._ The other guests start collecting the dishes for clean up, a recent tradition of the losers cleaning up after the meal coming into effect as I smirk to myself. _They asked to get involved with the meal plan so they got it...though_ _I keep trying to show them the way I want the dishes put away._ My head starts to roll forward as I feel my own exhaustion start to kick in, my body also tired from the day's exertion but my mind resisting the urge to sleep as I pick up Callie again.

"Hey! Don't fall asleep!" Scurry states while shaking my right shoulder, my head snapping up in reaction but turning back to make sure I don't drop Callie. "I'm trying to put the Sisters to bed-" I stammer even as Scurry wipes away some ink that had drooled out of my mouth. She then moves around the table to tap Marie on the shoulder, her head snapping into alertness before she gesture to my back with a hair tentacle. I move to a crouch as her arms wrap around my neck and her legs folding over my stomach, my hair tentacles moving around her to keep her stable. Scurry has another grin on her face as I move to a stand. "Look at you, Kosh. About to take advantage-"

"C'mon, Scurry. I hear that joke every time I do this. Can I have one day without it?" I retort swiftly with a rueful smile but Scurry just crosses her arms and widens her grin as she watches me head towards their room down the hallway. Everyone is saying their goodbyes as I move onward towards their room, the auto door opening smoothly in front of me as I enter. _I'm glad for the auto doors now...I couldn't open the door otherwise..._ The Sister's room is a mess as always, random clothes and assorted junk all over the floor and whatever surfaces they could manage. I'm forced to kick a few shirts and objects out of the way to cross the room safely, forced to make the trip longer so that I put each of them on their respective sides of their bed.

Callie starts to mumble something as I move the bed sheets over her and it stops me for a second. "Grandpa..." I hear Callie whimper as a few tears of pink start to form in her eyes. Marie seems to pick up on the sadness and turns towards Callie, pulling her into a sad embrace with tears of lime green in her eyes while Callie breaks into low sobs. I stay a while to rub their heads in an attempt to comfort them, whispering to them that Grandpa loves them and that it'll be OK but hoping that they'd stop crying soon.

I can't stop my own tears even if I wanted to.


	19. Retrieval

**Chapter IV: Retrieval**

* * *

Scurry is waiting for me when I exit the Sister's room, leaning against the hallway wall with a sad and knowing look. "They're still not over his loss?" she whispers to me from across the room, my hand still rubbing my own eyes as I nod. "They have a closer relationship to the Cap'n...it isn't surprising that they aren't over it...but it wasn't as bad as last time..." _Last time this happened, Callie cried loudly for a good fifteen minutes before settling down...Marie couldn't calm her down so I intervened then...and that's how this all started..._ "I guess you took his place for a time," Scurry says with a smirk but despite her intentions, my anger flares briefly. "No...I'm not a replacement for the Cap'n...no one can ever be, _especially_ not me-"

Scurry sighs in annoyance at me but her look becomes serious as she continues. "Someone has to be there for Marie and Callie. They have enough to deal with. Whinter and Clementine have their teams to worry about, Sheldon is busy trying to out-think the octarians and Drosyn is trying to learn how to fit in. That just leaves you and me to-" I don't let her finish, already trying to move back to our room but she steps in my path. I try to shove past her but she refuses to be ignored. "No. I'm not-" I try to say but Scurry remains in my path and grabs my right shoulder, keeping me in place as she keeps talking. "Get over it, Kosh. You're the only one that can help and has the means to do so. Why are you reluctant to-"

"I said no," I bitterly state while trying to move past her, removing her hand from my shoulder angrily but still unable to move past her. "I'm not going to be the Cap'n's replacement," I continue angrily while trying to nudge Scurry out of the way. She responds by stopping every attempt to touch her, my ire growing as she continues to resist. "I never will be the squid that the Cap'n was and that's where this discussion ends," I state with finality but Scurry still doesn't move out of the way, my attempts to move past her stopped by her pushing me back and giving me a hostile look. _She's waiting for the reason...like she always does..._ "Can we discuss this not in the hallway?" I whisper angrily but her hostile eyes say everything as she stiffly shakes her head. _I'm not getting away with that this time..._ A growl of frustration emanates from me at her continued defiance and I reluctantly nod my head. "Alright, you win...but I'm still not comfortable discussing this in the hallway. Can we please talk in our room instead?"

Scurry quickly moves behind me and wrapping her arms around my neck from behind but with none of the familiarity or comfort, her hands digging into my chest as she gestures with a wave for me to move. She emphasizes the seriousness of the situation by menacingly scraping the top fangs of her beak against my neck and telling me threateningly to move. The anger gives way to unease as it feels like I'm a hostage at ink gunpoint, my movement now stiff as I walk to our room. The auto door opens and shuts smoothly as we make our way towards the bed and when I sit down on the edge, her hands are still digging into my chest and her fangs scrape my neck again threateningly. "Now give your reason," she says menacingly, poking me with her fangs as she says so.

I don't answer immediately. _I'm on the fence about this.. maybe I can seduce her to avoid the question...or I chose the former without ruling out the latter..._ I let out a long sigh before going rigid, trying to find the right words and remain calm. "I'm not the Cap'n...and I don't want to be...he ordered us to let his memory be put to rest with the Squidbeak Splatoon," I say while shaking my head, growling at myself for saying the obvious. _I've said that before!_ Scurry says nothing and I continue. "I know we aren't all following those orders...but the one I want to follow-"

Scurry interrupts me by biting me on the right shoulder, a groan in pain bursting from my teeth at the sudden move. "Ow! What was that for?!" I exclaim with gritted teeth, trying my best not to raise my voice too loudly while looking over my shoulder to try and find her face. I don't find it but there's no mistaking the hostility in her voice as she whispers her response. "You idiot...you still don't get it so let me spell it out to you...we don't _need_ you to be the Cap'n because what we _do_ need someone to inspire us...someone to support us and keep the mood intact..." She releases her grip on my neck and slaps me on the back of the head before continuing, my face cringing at the sudden pain. "So get it out of your head that we want you to be someone else...what we need is what you are already..." I rub the back of my head in confusion, the area now sore but slowly becoming better. _She doesn't hold any punches when she gets mad._

I nod my head briefly and try to make sense of the situation. "That...makes more sense then what I thought up but...if that's the case..." Scurry's tongue starts to lick the wound on my shoulder, ink soaking into the wound to close it as I continue to try and make sense of the events. "Well before you got all angry, I was just joking earlier...I guess I won't joke like that again..."

"But then why did you threaten me for answers?" I ask confused but she swiftly pulls me back and pushes me onto the bed, her body swinging around and resting on top of me as I sigh to myself. _Well, that changed quickly..._ "Stop talking... you're ruining the mood..." she commands in a whisper as she starts to kiss me, both of us falling into the moment instantly. My hands and hair tentacles move in response to the affection, both sets wrapping around Scurry and bringing us onto our sides. _Yeah, we're using sharing ink to avoid having this conversation...but I don't think I care..._ It doesn't take long for the mood to set in fully and for clothes to start coming off, my hands and hair tentacles practically ripping her shirt and shorts off with my enthusiasm. Scurry's giggles as she backs away, using her teeth to bite onto my shirt collar gently and pull the shirt off. "When did you start getting into biting?" I ask as my shirt is pulled over my face and off my body, a smirk on her face before she hurls my shirt away with a flick of her head. "What? You don't like it?" she whispers with amusement, kissing me a few times and pressing her skin against me before allowing me to answer. "I'm not a fan of the biting...it scares me more than anything..." I whisper back, willing myself not to flinch when she grins at me hungrily and moves downwards.

Her teeth clamp down on the rim of my shorts and a swift movement of her head pulling them off and hurls them away. "It isn't like I'm biting anything vital. The most vital thing I've bitten is your lip and that hasn't happened in a few months," she explains and doesn't wait for permission as she crawls back on top of me and kisses me aggressively. Her tongue moves around the inside of my mouth like it's searching frantically for something. _It's strange really...I can never tell who's ink is in my mouth since her ink feels like my ink...does all ink feel the same?_ My hands and hair tentacles are around her body again, her limbs similarly embracing me as we rub skin and hair tentacles together. It doesn't take long for us to get serious and for hair tentacles to start undoing underwear.

Nothing happens immediately because my first instinct is to grab the bed sheets from beneath us and cover us up, more for comfort than cold. Scurry pulls away from my kisses for a second while lick my face, whispering with amusement, "Oh, you...why can't we ever share ink without covering it up? Everyone already knows anyway." I give her a few more kisses before responding, licking her face in turn before whispering back, "Call it a comfort...and what if someone needs something from us?...Don't you want to _try_ to be decent?" She smirks before answering no confidently and I groan theatrically while rubbing her back with a hand while my hair tentacles rub her hair tentacles. We reorient ourselves so that my head against a pillow, my head looking away from her temporarily with a mock smile of remorse as she lays on top of me. "Where did I go wrong? You used to have modesty," I whisper to the side and she giggles to herself in response, moving my head back towards her with her hand and kissing me aggressively before pulling away. There's a slight gasp from us both when she stops kissing. "Maybe you're the one changing me? With all the ink you share with me, I'm starting to think _you're_ the deviant one hidden under the calm and control."

I groan in annoyance and push her onto her side, her smirk becoming a wide grin as my body pressed against hers and the hungry look in her eyes rises to mine. "See? I barely provoked you and you're ready to push yourself into me like you always do," she gloats through her grin, tempting me to make good on my threats by rubbing her entire body against mine. _At least this time, it's the right time and place._ "We both know what happens next..." I say as I do what she advised, a gasp escaping us both as our bodies connect gently. She starts to move her hips and my body slightly shivers in anticipation as I try to restrain my urges. _She knows me too well..._ "See how much better that feels? Let's forget about everything for a bit, like old times..."

Her phrasing is precise and it stalls my next actions, the feelings of skin contact still intense even as caution comes to the fore. "Is something wrong? You don't say that often," I ask her while trying to remain in control, my body wanting nothing more than to give in to the temptation and put my ink in her body. Scurry doesn't help my control when she shoves me onto my back again, her hands on my chest while her hair tentacles move my hands to her chest. "Yeah, something's wrong...you haven't shown me a good time today and I'm feeling ignored," she states seductively and I chuckle at her answer, already moving my body to give her what she wants while my hands rub her chest. _We've barely done anything and I already feel sticky..._ Our eyes and hair tentacles start to glow with phosphorescence from the lack of light in the room, sweat on the sheets glowing as well and illuminating us both. Scurry chuckles when she notices but continues to move my hands on her chest and move her hips. "See why I didn't...want to use sheets?...They're all dirty now..."

"Whats...the problem? I usually...do laundry anyway..." I gasp as she leans forward, a grin still on her face as our bodies press together and my hands move back to embracing her back. "I thought...you wanted less work...and...us to pull our...weight?..." she tries to say but the conversation ends there, words rendered meaningless as we lose ourselves to the sensations. Even amongst the gasps of excitement and the constant kisses, I'm able to think something in the fugue of passion.

 _I'm all for affection in private..._

* * *

After long moments of kissing, rubbing, and movement, we firmly press ourselves close to each other as we gasp in pleasure, ink leaving my body and coating her insides as she sprays her ink on my crotch. I feel a wave of calm and clarity flood over me as my entire body relaxes and our breathing tries to slow down. "I thought...we agreed that...you wouldn't be so loud..." I whisper to Scurry as she rests her head on my shoulder, a weak giggle filling my ear as she hears me. "You made it...difficult..." she whispers while steadying her breath, her body already reorienting so she can look at me. We share a brief glance and I touch my forehead to her, her smile inviting as I feel myself moving forward and kissing her again. _Maybe I'm the deviant here after all..._

Feeling my emotions in full swing again, I roll on top of her and put her in the position I was just in, a giggle escaping her at the sudden movement. "Are you trying...to convince me?" she whispers as she starts to wrap around my body again with her limbs, both of us gasping lightly when I push into her again. Her body is still slick from my previous ink discharge but it does nothing to deter me. "Convince you...of what?" I whisper in response to her question, her arms pulling me closer to her chest while her legs and hair tentacles embrace my lower body. She doesn't answer and uses her mouth to silence me with her kisses, only pulling away when she's sure I won't say anything else. To my surprise, I don't let her pull away and insist that we keep kissing.

Only after we discharge a second spray of ink does she answer my question, both of us panting as I feel myself fall on top of her. "Convince me...to love you..." she says sadly, my body pulling back slightly to catch some tears in her eyes that she tries not to show. She closes her eyes and explains before I can ask what's wrong. "I'm not...I'm not dumb...I know you're insecure...I know that because...because I am too..." Her tears are already starting to flow as I feel her arms tighten around me and all thoughts of romance change to a need to comfort her. I move us to our sides and pull her into a gentle hug, rubbing her hair in an attempt to comfort her even as she starts to sob lightly. "I know I shouldn't think it but...I can't escape it...what if you find someone better then me?-"

"Sis...I know the feeling..." I whisper, already feeling my own eyes starting to sting with tears. "I always ask myself the same thing...but you gave me a command, remember? Back in Octo Canyon?" Her crying only stops enough for her to answer briefly. "What...what command?" she says between sniffles, my face smiling despite the sadness as I elaborate. "That no matter what, I would help you make this work...and try to understand you...and stop doubting that it was the right choice...I guess we're both terrible Agents..." I finish with a sad chuckle, Scurry chuckling as well as I start to wipe her tears away with my right hand. "I hate your good memory..." she whispers sarcastically as she does the same to me with her left hand, my face smiling as I move past her hand and both of us move our arms around each other instinctively. "Me too...but you can help me forget-"  


"Oh, you're terrible...using my insecurity as a means to take advantage of me..." she gloats in a whisper while already moving to kiss me. We share a brief kiss before she continues her line of thought but I can tell from her body rubbing mine that she's nearing the limit of her resistance. "And it's working..." she finishes, another kiss becoming aggressive and pulling us back into the mood.

 _I just want to make you happy..._

* * *

I don't know how long we go for but mid-intercourse, the hiss of the auto door sliding open causes us to freeze as both of us look towards the door. No one enters but Whinter's voice groans into the room. "C'mon squids...keep it down...it's 3:00 A.M and we have turf wars tomorrow..." he whispers sleepily as Scurry and I immediately whisper an apology. The door closes seconds later and both of us chuckle even as we kiss again. "I guess we're too loud..." I whisper to Scurry between kisses, our affection stopping momentarily as I touch her nose with mine. "Yeah...I guess we'd better sleep..." she whispers back and I notice her eyes already half closed from exhaustion. It takes me some effort to roll off her but she makes it pointless by rolling on top of me, her eyes already closed and the sound of her breathing telling me that she fell asleep. I exhale gently as sleep falls on me as well, my eyes shutting as I fall asleep.

* * *

Someone shakes me on the left shoulder and I groan in exhaustion at the interruption to sleeping, my throat dry and my head fuzzy as I try to open my eyes. "C'mon, Kosh, it's late already! Time to get up!" someone shouts at me and my eyes groggily open at the noise. I don't see who it is immediately because my eyes have to adjust to the light and search for the source of the voice, finally spotting Whinter shaking my left shoulder gently in an attempt to wake me up. "Oh, hey...what time is it...?" I slur while slurping ink back into my mouth and wiping ink residue off my chin with a hand. I blink a few times and eventually rub my eyes even as Whinter starts to explain why he's here. "It's already noon, Kosh! You used to be punctual and now this! What happened!?" he states in an annoyed but amused tone, a grin on his face and a rough chuckle escaping my dry throat before I respond. "Scurry happened...and I can't feel my legs right now..." Wondering why I felt so heavy, I lightly lift the sheets with my right hand and see Scurry still sleeping on top of me, an ink puddle on my chest from her drool. My other hand nudges her lightly on the left shoulder, a groan and a lazy yawn escaping her as she pulls herself upwards and peaks up from under the sheets at Whinter. "Oh...hey, Whinter...what are you doing here...?" she says while yawning, already readjusting herself to fall back asleep.

Whinter's tone reaches agitation when he sees us trying to fall back to sleep. "I'm trying to get you guys out of bed! We still have turf wars to do, you know!?" he shouts at us while gesturing with a hand towards the door. Both of us watch the action but I playfully fall back into bed, my tongue sticking out of the right side of my mouth as I close my eyes. Scurry follows my theatrics by wiping the ink off my chest with the blanket and getting comfortable again on top of me. "Don't fall back to sleep! We have a match in an hour!" Whinter shouts at us but I groan in annoyance in response. "Can't we just reschedule? We've been running turf wars a lot...don't we get at least one day off?" I slur while trying to fall asleep again but the blanket is swiftly pulled off us, a groan of frustration escaping us both from the sudden change in comfort.

"No, Kosh! We can't be like that! Get up!" Whinter shouts at us and I groan again and rub my eyes even as the auto door hiss open and shut from Whinter leaves the room. "C'mon, love...time to get up..." I say half-heartedly to Scurry but she doesn't respond from my chest. I nudge her lightly off me with chest and arms, her body flopping onto her side of the bed while I swing my legs to the edge and rub my eyes further. She doesn't stay down for long because her arms wrap around my neck from behind as she plants another kiss on my cheek. "How come you aren't like that every time we share ink?" she asks in a happy whisper, biting my neck and ear playfully to elaborate her satisfaction. I fake an answer because I'm not sure what she means. "Y'know...team leader and all...gotta pull my weight..."

She giggles over my shoulder and rubs a finger up my neck. "That's so squishy of you...you gotta fix that..." she whispers but before we can move, the auto door sounds again. I groan in further annoyance at having another interruption but the voice that speaks commands instead of asks. "Get up now. You need to see this," the stern voice of Clementine commands us, my smile dropping from my face as I jump to my feet and rush to the closet. All humour and exhaustion are forgotten as I quickly grab and throw clothes to Scurry, my hands already forcing on my shirt and shorts. We both rush out the door to the living room and find the living room filled, everyone awake and waiting as Marie stands at the front of the group holding something. The TV is on behind her as her eyes regard us and gesture for us to sit.

We take our seats as she puts the CD in her hand into the TV, quickly pressing play and taking her seat next to Callie without a word. A scratchy image displays before it shows a darkened room, a single yellow light glowing down at an octarian blindfolded and tied to a chair. A female voice, menacing and cold, speaks from off camera. "Tell them your name," the voice commands with hostility, the octarian in the chair not answering and trying to keep his face neutral. "No? Fine..." the voice growls, an arm from the shadows throwing something at the captive. Whatever is throw melts some of the lower body off of the octarian who roar in pain.

"Still willing to be quiet?" the voice gloats during his pain, the captive now breathing hard from shock before answering. "Thaddeus...Thaddeus...Kelcher..." the octarian stammers in obvious pain, an arm throwing more liquid on him to melt off more of his lower body and causing more yells of pain. "And why are you here?" the voice threatens, grim amusement on the edges of the sound. It takes the octarian captive a while to stop screaming in pain, the press of an ink gun to the back of his head motivating him to stop screaming. "To...to deliver a message..." he stutters in agony, his reward to have more liquid poured on him that finishes dissolving his bottom half. He doesn't scream this time, gritting his teeth to suppress his agony but still growling in pain. "And what message are you sending?" the voice threatens again with grim amusement, the ink gun at the back of the captives head clicking as the safety is taken off. Although in serious pain, he quickly blurts feverishly to those around him, "Drosyn! Don't go back to the mission-"

He doesn't get to finish, the ink gun spraying before he can finish and splatting him instantly. The voice shouts in rage behind him as the octarian explodes, spraying ink everywhere. "Wrong! I gave you specific instructions and you just had to be the hero! Now I'll have to torture another deserter!" the voice shouts in rage, the chair now covered in ink pulled into the shadows and another blindfolded octarian in another chair put in place. Scurry puts her hands to her mouth as the group realizes that the next octarian is little more than a child. "Where is mother?! Why can't I see her?!" the child yells repeatedly, the voice calmly saying while ignoring the child's questions, "Follow your lines and you can see your mother again."

"Where is mother?!" the octarian says in response and some of the group close their eyes when the same liquid from before is poured on the octarian child, a loud yell of pain coming from him as part of his lower body is dissolved. I force myself to watch the horrible scene, watching angrily in an attempt to identify the assailant. _We have to find something...anything to use..._ "Say. Your. Lines." the voice commands darkly, an ink gun pointed at the back of the child's head even as he sobs. "Please...please...I just want to...see mother...please..." the child cries but a roar of frustration sounds ink the background and all of us tense when the ink gun sprays again, a swift pull of the trigger splatting the octarian child all over the room. The camera is now coated in some of the ink. "Oh, son of a...I just cleaned that!"

I look around the room, looks of shock on everyone's faces at the gruesome scene we're watching but we don't have time to speak because the camera is wiped clean by the hands of a black octoling, a wicked grin on her face as she stares into the camera with red lenses glowing ominously. "Aw, screw it! I'll do it myself! This is for you on the other side of the camera! I know you're listening, cowards! How many more octarians do I have to splat because you decided to meddle in our affairs? How many woman and children? At this rate, there won't be any octarians left in Octaria!" Cruel, harsh laughter comes from the octoling as she laughs at her own joke but everyone in the living room has a grim face on.

The black octoling's grin drops from her face in an instant as her face becomes menacing and cold. "Listen carefully and listen well. You want Octaria to be peaceful again? Prosperous and free? Stop meddling in our affairs. We know you're contacting octarians here and we will find and splat everyone you conscript. The real threat here is _you_ , not us!" The camera shifts from the black octoling's face as she activates her own flashlight, moving the camera to give us a full view of purple ink coating chairs and the floor. "Look at the puddles, cowards! _You_ did this! Keep going down the path you're on and this continues! Make your choice!" the octoling shouts in rage, the feed ending and the image going to static moments later.

Marie stands stiffly and moves towards the TV, speaking clearly and sternly while removing the CD. "This CD was recovered from the mother of that child. She was found in Inkopolis Square with part of her body melted off by water. She didn't survive the wounds and this CD eventually landed in our mailbox."

"What's the plan?" I find myself stating too quickly, Marie responding immediately with an answer I didn't want. "We have to wait until Sheldon can analyze this CD recording for anything else. Can you do it, Sheldon?" she says sternly and all eyes in the room lock on Sheldon who stares straight ahead in thought. _That's a terrible burden...I wouldn't hold it against him if he said no-_ Sheldon surprises me when he nods and states in a calm voice, "Yes, I can...I'll get on it straight away." Drosyn gets up to move him closer to Marie who hands him the CD, his head turning to the group to nod as he's carried back to his room.

Marie remains standing but doesn't say anything else, leaving us to sit there wondering what to do. _We can't move octarians out of their territory fast enough... Inkopolis doesn't have the space for them all...and only a lucky few get in..._ Guilt is swiftly replaced with anger as my thoughts come full circle, the black octoling on the screen with her cruelty springing to mind. _How can a ruler order something like that against their own people?_ "Has anyone else seen that?" I growl angrily to Marie who seems to snap out of her trance and move back to her seat. "No. The octarian woman who had that CD gave instructions that it was for important eyes only...I guess that meant us..." she says sternly but with an undertone of sadness. I start to understand why she was sad. _You probably had to watch it first to see if it was something relevant..._ I growl out a further question even as the thought forms. "What do we tell the public?"

"What we normally tell them," Marie states sternly and immediately, my head shaking in disgust at already knowing the answer. _The spawn points are locked to keep out those without ID. No one's getting in._ "Take the day off, Kosh. You're getting angry," Marie elaborates while gesturing towards my hands that are balling into fists. I don't loosen them, snapping back instead with an angry tone. "It feels like we aren't doing enough! Octarian's are suffering and being splatted out there and we're doing so little!" Hands hold me in place by the shoulders, my body involuntarily trying to rise out of my seat in anger. Marie nods in understanding before commenting in an even tone, "I understand that but we can't act rashly. That's what they want. We have to plan carefully and move decisively but reacting to their campaign of horror is only to their benefit."

I push my anger back with some difficulty, realizing that she's right but not accepting it. _The last time we tried the ink guns spraying approach, extra octarians suffered as a result...stealth and secrecy is the only way to avoid major casualties...but now they're hunting those who come into contact with us._ "So I take it we stick with our current assignments?" I ask Marie in a neutral tone who nods at me with a smile. "That would be wise...which means you need to get ready. Don't you have a match in ten minutes?" My hand immediately goes for my squidphone and a look of shock crosses my face as I see the time. _Eight minutes._

"Alright good talk see you when we get home!" I blurt, springing out of my seat and dashing for my room with Scurry a few steps behind me. I go straight to the bed, rapidly pulling out a large trunk from underneath it and kicking it open. My hands rapidly pull out its contents, tossing Scurry's Splat Dualies and Burst Bombs behind me while grabbing my Splattershot and Splat Bombs. I throw one of the ink tanks on my back and click the straps to attach it to my body, reaching back in to grab the other ink tank. Scurry is already in position for me to slap the tank onto her back when I turn around, the pack thumping into place with a little too much force. "Easy, Kosh. I'm fragile..." she gloats as she clicks the straps together, securing her tank to her back and rushing out first. I quickly follow behind while giving the last wave to Marie and Callie before rushing out of the front door of the penthouse.

 _Marian is probably pissed at us again...  
_


	20. Game Changer

**Chapter V: Game Changer**

* * *

Marian was pretty mad that we almost missed our match for the second day in a row, giving me a good ear full of my irresponsibility as a team leader and as a turf war participant. Scurry looked like she enjoyed the grilling I received, grinning happily to herself as Marian ranted. Drosyn and Sheldon are there before us, also grinning at our tardiness and at Marian's lecturing of me.

I barely remember the match because the only things of note are Sheldon testing the new version of his .96 Gal, which still had too much recoil, and Logan aiming an ink strike right at Drosyn's position but spared a splatting by a quick activation of Ink Armor by Sheldon. The rest of the match was more of the same and didn't excite me in the slightest. I don't even remember who won since the only match that really counted to us is the last one.

The entire endeavour started to feel like live ink drills, the monotony slowly grinding down my urge to participate even though we're paid to participate and it helps us practice our skills. Unfortunately, Marie ordered it and I don't want to go down as the one who keeps undermining her decisions.

 _I do too much of that on a daily basis anyways..._

* * *

"Hey, are you listening!?" Scurry exclaims with her hands on the table, starting to rise from her seat with an irritated look before I blink and snap back to the table. My head turns left and right in confusion to take in my surroundings, finally seeing Drosyn and Sheldon come back with the food from the Crust Bucket. "What? Sorry, I got distracted...what did you ask?" I blurt in confusion, trying to catch up to what just happened while a pile of food lands on the table. I reach for one of the super seanwiches along with a drink that looks like Run-Speed Tomato juice to try and focus, Scurry repeating her question as she does the same. "I was asking what you're thinking about...you normally give more instructions during matches. I mean, you don't _normally_ give a lot of instructions but-"

"I wanted to try something different today...and see if you guys can work well together without my input. It...didn't work as well as I'd hoped," I say with decreasing levels of confidence, looking down slightly as I nibble on my super seanwich. _No kidding...we're too dependent on a command structure to function well individually..._ I chuckle to myself before I continue my line of thought, looking up to meet the others gaze with a smirk. "And here I thought you guys could go without me asking for sit reps and giving you map data. Now, do you get what I mean when I say you aren't pulling your weight?"

Drosyn and Sheldon aren't fully listening, their heads idly nodding but more likely enjoying the brief break in the action with food and drink. _Sheldon getting used to having his head patted..._ Scurry's laugh draws my attention, my head snapping to her as she inhales a super seanwich before speaking. "But isn't that your role!? Aren't you, as the illustrious CK, the guiding force to victory!? So does that mean when we lose, it's really you, not us!?" she says in an amused tone, Sheldon and Drosyn nodding again in agreement as I start to frown. _Ouch...that's harsh..._ I respond more to the name then the allegations. "Stop calling me that. I don't like being called CK...but I do agree that you're right that I have to lead you guys to victory," I say at first angrily then sarcastically, taking a bite out of the super seanwich in front of me as I finish my sentence. _It isn't healthy for us to be eating this stuff but I'm too hungry to care right now._ Scurry rolls her eyes in response to my comment and sips her juice loudly before retorting. "Don't let your head inflate now! You leading doesn't mean your some kind of super squid. It just means you have a role to play."

"Why don't we swap roles then?" I suggest without meaning to, everyone stopping in their idle relaxation to look at me in confusion and expectation. "We swap weapons and roles and try something different. We have to mix up these drills somehow-" I try to explain but not one face looks like it agrees with the idea. "So you are saying we change from the weapons we are accustomed to...to weapons we are not?" Drosyn queries while lightly brushing Sheldon on the head, Sheldon nodding in agreement to her words. _She makes a good point._ "So you guy's don't like the idea I take it?" I respond with a shrug, Scurry first to retort in her usual way. "Yeah, that's a stupid idea," she says decisively, already reaching for another super seanwich as quick affirmations from Drosyn and Sheldon wash the idea away. "Alright, alright...that won't swim...I guess we'll just do what we always do then..." I say with a sigh escapes while taking another bite of the super seanwich in front of me and washing it down with a few sips of juice. Scurry, seeing my face bored, smiles to herself and rises from her seat to move around the table and plant herself on my lap. The suddenness of the action and my own surprise nearly makes me drop my super seanwich and juice.

"Well...if you're feeling bored-" she starts to say I immediately cut her off with a no. She growls at me in response and surges off me with a frown and crossed arms. "Ugh! You're the worst! You didn't even let me finish!" she shouts at me as I take another bite of super seanwich and turn my face to meet hers, staring into Scurry's eyes for a second and waiting for her explanation. When she realizes she has my attention, she starts to explain, "What I was going to say was maybe we can renegotiate and reduce the number of matches we need to fight in a day or at least negotiate a day off. We all need it, right?" Sheldon and Drosyn look at each other awkwardly, Sheldon looking up at her as Drosyn looks down at him. Neither seemed to know how to answer as I start to ponder the question. _I had thought about that too...but then again..._ "No, this is the bare minimum we need to maintain our skills and if anything, we aren't doing enough matches," I conclude as I take another sip of juice. Scurry's answers are not what I expect. "What else do we have to improve? We aren't even using our Hero gear and-" _Hero gear...wait a second..._ A smile comes to my lips as another idea strikes and I voice it aloud. "So why don't we use that?"

"Use Hero grade gear in the turf wars? Isn't that illegal?" she asks but from her deviant grin, I can tell she's at least considering it. I carefully try to explain my idea. "What I'm suggesting is that we use Replica gear. If this is _supposed_ to be training us for field duty, we might as well dress the part and we won't have tech like ink shields while in Replica...which maybe this isn't so accurate..." Scurry looks at Drosyn and Sheldon who both shrug at her, not knowing what's happening as Scurry turns back to me with a neutral expression. "So...you want to...cosplay?" she queries, a smile then a grin rising to her face as I become the confused one. "Um...that's not exactly-"

"Wow, Kosh! I had no idea you're into that and that changes things!" Scurry giggles while moving back to me and tapping her forehead to mine. My eyes look over at Drosyn and Sheldon who have slight confusion compared to mine but Drosyn chimes in. "If you wanted to have more amusement from our drills with costumes, you merely had to ask."

"You don't have to go roundabout to get us to do things. You're the team leader," Sheldon interjects, finishing off his super seanwich and juice before Drosyn picks him up and rises to her feet. Seeing everyone getting the wrong idea, I quickly try to explain. "It's not what I-"

"Well if we're doing this, let's go get changed!" Scurry exclaims, already tugging me by the arms to some other place. As I'm being pulled, I look to Drosyn and Sheldon for support only to find them following behind us.

 _What did I just start?_

* * *

A quick trip back to the apartment and a few curious questions from the Sisters later, we arrive back at the Battle Lobby dressed in the glowing lights and fancy materials of Replica gear. Plenty of heads turn to regard us as we stride across the lobby and I smile to myself at the irony of not wanting to be CK yet having the cyan Kraken on my right shoulder as an insignia. Drosyn is drawing some looks of concern in her full Octoling gear, her goggles raised to display her purple eyes and a purple octopus painted on her back. Sheldon is wearing Armor Replica instead, looking much bulkier in his gear and holding his .96 Gal modified to match the armour he's wearing. The company symbol of Ammo Knights is on his left shoulder and very few squids misunderstood who he is or what he's representing. _Everyone knows what Ammo Knights is._ I turn my head slightly towards Scurry who grins at me in reply, an ink tattoo of a cyan squid on her left cheek moving in stark relief with her face.

We all agreed to have a look of seriousness on our faces as we walk across the lobby, faces set in neutral expressions as we turn our heads as one to regard team Splat Jam ahead of us standing in the main spawn point. _I think Marian knew something was up and now, her suspicions are confirmed_ _._ "Um...why are you guys..." she tries to ask but stops herself from continuing when we march onto the platform uniformly and perform about-face in harmony. I turn my head to the left and nod at Drosyn who turns left towards the launch button so Sheldon can press it. Team Splat Jam is slightly nervous next to us as we stand like statues for the countdown to finish, looking straight ahead as the counter hits zero.

An ink flash later, I'm shaking my head to get ink off and am already analyzing the battlefield we're on. _Humpback Pump Track...slight slopes with plenty of things to jump behind..._ Our seriousness doesn't last as Scurry starts to laugh loudly, the rest of us the following suit as the disguise is lost. She's still laughing as she tries to speak. "Did you see...their faces? That was the best!" I have to stop laughing myself to answer her properly. "Yeah, that was awesome...I'm glad we did this-"

The screech of loudspeakers breaks the moment and I hold up a hand for quiet as Marina starts to announce, the smirks still on our faces even as she starts announcing. "Humpback Pump Track! Another grudge match between Cyan Kraken and Splat Jam! Is this revenge for the defeat from earlier?! Let's see if revenge is on the menu! Team Cyan Kraken, are you ready?!" Marina shouts at us, all of us raising our weapons in silence with broad smiles replacing smirks. _The show must go on._ "Team Splat Jam, are you ready?" Marina continues and a yell of acknowledgement can be heard in the distance. I keep up the act of being an Agent, mirroring Marie's clipped orders at the start of a match. "Scurry, you're with me. We're taking the centre hill. Drosyn, Sheldon, travel the side paths and support us. We keep the hill, fan out and keep our turf cyan. Questions?" No one answers because they're too busy trying not to laugh, a few chuckles escaping grimacing lips as we wait for the final signal.

"Ready...GO!" I hear Marina shout, Scurry and I immediately rushing forward and spraying ink along our path. I wide grin is on my face as we surge forward. _I feel so much faster in this gear..._ A holographic projection of the map is displayed over my right eye, giving me up to date information on our positions in real time even as we rush the centre hill. Not surprisingly, we get to the hill first and are spraying the area around us cyan before the team Splat Jam can arrive.

An E-liter spray nearly hits me in the head if not for a warning thrown in front of my eye, my body responding by diving to the left and swimming towards low brick walls nearby. Scurry is behind another such wall nearby after hearing the shot but looking down at the gear I'm in, I'm sorely tempted to charge the enemy. _I can get to them..._ The urge becomes irresistible and I find myself rising and mantling the brick wall with ink guns spraying, Scurry right behind me and shouting to my back, "So much for the plan!"

"Sheldon, Drosyn, cover the hill and keep Logan and Marian off it! Any eyes on Whinter?" I say aloud, the systems of my headset turning the comm on and off to relay my voice. _Voice activation comm gear...I can get used to this..._ Another warning from my armour makes me dive to the left as a Splat Charger shot whizzes past my head and impacting a wall in front of me. "Behind that wall. Jump over it," Drosyn says into her comm, my body already rising so I can dive into the ink in front of me. _No need to be subtle now._ Instead of swimming up the puddle to the other side of the wall, I perform a short-range super jump over the cover and transform mid-flight to rain down ink at an unsuspecting Whinter. At least that's what I thought until his face grin up at me before he runs away, pointing behind us with a thumbs up.

I try to get some sprays on him but he's moving too quickly and there's no mistaking the whistle of an ink strike right behind me. I can't do anything about it from the air but aim myself downwards and surge towards the ink on the ground. Scurry is able to fix my mistake by spraying Whinter from the ground, splatting him into a puddle of cyan ink before diving and swimming to evade the ink strike. The ink strike is right behind me when I land and I swim as far as possible to get away but it's already landing, a pillar of blue ink bursting skywards too closely and turning me into an ink stain. I rise out of the spawn point slightly shocked at the outcome, sighing into my comm before speaking. "OK, that didn't work... let's be a little more...cautious."

"Ya think?" Scurry gloats as she stays in cover until I get back, my body already diving into the ink and going squid form to trigger a super jump to her position. A quick glance at my holo before I do so gives me plenty of information. _Drosyn and Sheldon are being pushed hard by all of team Splat Jam...I need to change course..._ "Scurry, jump to Drosyn!" I shout into the comm, already going squid form and collecting ink to launch into the air. The flight speed is blisteringly quick and our trajectory takes us right in front of Drosyn's position, my body shifting mid-air and unloading my ink gun at the team below us before I hit the ground. _I'm right on top of team Splat Jam and caught in their crossfire..._

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I dive and slide on the ink to my right to avoid another E-liter stream, spinning in a circle as I slide while grabbing and throwing a Splat Bomb with extra momentum. _It's a deterrent at best-_ The only effect the Splat Bomb has on the battle is forcing Logan off his perch temporarily but I can't think on it further because I'm forced to dodge backwards. Whinter brings his Roller down in a close range slam but doesn't stop there, reversing his grip on the handle to roll after me with impressive speed. I couldn't land a spray on him and run out of his range at the same time, the strain of dodging both close range swing and flicked ink taking its toll. _So this is how Tanrine does it...don't fire, just dodge..._ I avoid the blows with ease, a bewildered look on Whinter's face as his swings and ink flicks hit nothing but air. "Whoa! How did you get out of the way of-"

I pick another Splat Bomb off my belt and throw it mid-sentence, the bomb hurled at him like a ball and exploding Whinter on contact. "I'll field questions later-" I blurt but my body is still in dodge mode and instinctively dodges backwards to avoid a Luna Blaster spray from my right. I try to return a spray of ink from my Hero Shot Replica but she dives behind nearby cover quickly, my shots doing little more than painting the scenery. A Burst Bomb bomb goes off as she enters cover, a shower of cyan ink spurting upwards slightly as Scurry rounds the cover and dives towards me avoid a stream of ink from Marian's Slosher. My ink gun is already aiming at her when she rounds the corner and from a brief glance around me, our entire team is nearby and all of our guns are aim at her. My finger rests on triggers and a wicked grin is our faces when I see her pale slightly. It doesn't last long because she shouts at us moments later, "Hey! That's cheating! You're using gear that's illegal!"

"Not really," Sheldon retorts, pulling the trigger of his ink gun and eliciting us to open spray. Marian doesn't have a chance to dodge, exploding into a cyan puddle as we quickly move back to our positions. "No time for respite. Let's keep up the pressure." I say into my comm, Scurry already behind me as we ink everything along the way and trying to secure more turf. We hear the familiar sound of a Sting Ray in the distance and I see Drosyn's symbol flash on my holo to indicate her using a Special. _Why have we never playing with these before now? I feel so informed all the time._ "Good idea, Dros. Specials in sequence!" I shout, Scurry needing no second telling as she activates her Tenta Missiles and fires them as we move. I cringe inwardly when I hear a four volley, the missiles impacting enemy turf even as we keep spraying blue areas. _We have them spawn camped...for now..._

"Okay, that's enough. Let them out of their spawn," I say with some embarrassment, the match now feeling far too easy. _We own 48% of the map at 1 minute...and they have 40%-_ The second half of the match end as I think this, the final minute counting down and only leaving Splat Jam enough time for one of their famous last charges. Whinter roar towards the centre of the map in Kraken forms with Splat Jam fanning out behind him, painting a wave of blue towards it and trying to cut the territory down drastically. I'm already running towards their position in intercept Scurry. "I'll handle Whinter! Cover me!"

"Take out the extras! The last time we let you Kraken's fight, we barely won!" Scurry counters, my mind wrestling only fractionally with her words. _There's no time to argue. Whinter's almost on top of us._ "Fine! Just stay out of Whinter's range!" I shout in reply, already diving to the right to avoid a massive blue tentacle coming down vertically to splat me. Vadelma is the first squid behind him and I spray out of instinct, the sprays rushed and missing completely. I holster my weapon to focus on dodging, dive to the side and sliding on my side to avoid the return fire, Vadelma tracking her weapon as I slide with no difficulty. _Uh oh-_ Dualies spray towards her a few seconds later, forcing Vadelma to avoid the fire and allowing me to change targets to Marian who is right behind Vadelma. Her Slosher is already hurling ink at me and I have no chance to dodge further mid-slide.

Before the spray of ink impacts, Ink Armor springs up around my body and absorbs the ink. Instincts kick in, my right shoulder nudging the ground to flip me onto my feet as I draw my Hero Shot Replica again, holding the trigger as I flip to splat a surprised Marian before she can dodge. My head jerks to the left when a shadow descends over me, Whinter coming towards us even as I see Logan aiming right at me with his ink gun. A Hero Charger Replica spray takes Logan in the head, leaving only Whinter to contend with as he starts to swing his tentacles horizontally at me. I drop to the ground on my chest to avoid the first tentacle whizzing over me, my hands and feet pushing off from the ground to launch me over the second. Another tentacle is flying at me mid-air and I move my limbs as high as they can go to slide across the third one, gritting my teeth from the friction burn and the ink burns. The ground rises to meet me as I land on my stomach but I'm already rolling forward, a massive blue tentacle slamming into the ground behind me as I'm forced to leap with legs only over another tentacle. "Hold still, Kosh!" Whinter shouts as he zeroes in on me, tentacles flailing to try and splat me into a puddle but missing most of his swings. "No!" I shout back with amusement while trying my best to back away from him to avoid more tentacles trying to smash me. Whinter follows behind me as I run away but he doesn't have the speed to keep up. _We just have to hold him still until-_

The end whistle sounds seconds later, I sigh of relief escaping me as Whinter is forced back into inkling form. I turn back and walk towards him, finding him on his back in exhaustion and switching my holo off to listen to Marina. Only then do I notice that I'm also breathing hard from the amount of effort required to avoid his blows, the exhaustion kicking in and driving me to my knees next to Whinter. "Match end! Let's see the results!" Marina shouts excitedly and my head turns slowly left to the sound of rapid feet, Scurry running at me and leaping but my body unable to brace for it. A gasp escapes my throat as she knocks me down to the ground with a splat of ink, her arms around my neck and nearly choking me with their pressure. I try to force her to loosen her grip with a hand but the limb is too tired to be effective. "Team Cyan Kraken wins against Team Splat Jam 46% to 44%! Good game, everybody! Revenge has been served!"

"Scurry, too much pressure...crushing my neck..." I gasp but she doesn't let up, a grin on her lips and a cringe on mine as she tightens her grip instead. "What's the password?" she gloats, ignoring my please as I cough out a laugh. I turn my head as much as I can to kiss her on the cheek, her arms finally easing and allowing me to breathe with a gasp. She helps me into a sitting position but drapes herself on my front as the teams start to gather around us. I'm not surprised to see Marian furious. _Yep, here comes the rant-_ "That wasn't a fair match! You brought out gear that's illegal so that match doesn't count!"

"It's Replicas, Marian," explains Sheldon from her right, already being carried around by Drosyn again. "It is perfectly legal to bring in gear made by Cuttlegear to any match approved by Inkopolis." Marian continues her rant anyway despite who she's talking to. "That's still not fair! That gear is extremely hard to come by! It's an unfair advantage!" Sheldon opens his mouth to say something in retort but ponders instead, nodding his head and shrugging his only replies. _She's right...the ways to get the blueprints are very rare..._ I sigh as I look at Sheldon, more out of exhaustion than irritation. "I guess we have to spread it around now, don't we?" I croak, swallowing afterwards to try and keep myself moist. Sheldon looks shocked at my statement and quickly blurts, "Spread it around!? I can't do that! That goes against the gear's contract!"

I try to chuckle to myself but only manage a pained rasp, breathing out before starting to explain. "I meant we help them modify their gear...to be on par with ours-" At the mention of modifying gear, a light bulb turns on for Sheldon who smiles in genuine excitement after my clarification. "Oh, that!? That's easy! Come by the penthouse later and I'll see what I can do!" he shouts to the other team, the others looking just as excited at the new development. I try to get up now that the situation is partially resolved but Scurry pushes me back into a sitting position unexpectedly and gestures with her head towards Marian. Marian, for her part, still looks irritated. "Do we agree with that?" I ask her as calmly as possible and am relieved when her anger cools slightly but not by much. She instead storms off on her own, leaving the rest of the team to follow her. Vadelma smiles down at me and Logan tries to remain calm but fails to conceal his excitement as they turn away and follow her. My second attempt to get up is halted by Scurry again and I groan in frustration, gathering her in my arms and picking her up so that I can move to her giggle of delight. Whinter is still on the floor next to us and I tap him with the point of my shoe, saying gently to him, "You OK, Whinter?"

"Yeah...just give...me a second..." He gives an exhausted grin and a thumbs up before flopping back to the ground and I shake my head at him trying to be the tough squid. "Do you...need someone to carry you?" I ask gently, his grin widening as he hears my offer. "Sure...knock yourself...out," he croaks while trying to sit up but only manages half way before falling back to the ground. I gesture with my eyes and head for Scurry to get down and she obeys, releasing her grip and stepping aside as I move to assist Whinter. He grunts in effort when I sit him up and I throw his left arm over my shoulder. "C'mon, Whinter...we need to clear the stage for the next group," I say while grunting in strain at assisting him, his weight nearly pulling me to the ground as I start to lift him up. _He's pretty heavy for someone so thin_... He grins at me still, his breathing starting to become normal and his limbs less useless as we start to move towards the spawn point. "Hey, did you...check the time?"

Unbidden, the holo on my headgear reactivates and projects over my right eye, relaying the information that the Battle Lobby is closed now. "What?! Really?! Again?!" I exclaim in mock outrage, Whinter laughing briefly as we shuffle along. "You betcha, Kosh. I think of it as punishment for the stunt you just pulled," he gloats as I shake my head in denial, the rest of the team following behind me both exhilarated from victory and upset for the end result. I bring up my squidphone on the holo and sure enough, there were text messages demanding certain foods from the Fresh Emporium. They knew! That's why they left early...so they can send me these texts. Texts with apologies are followed by demands reward me for our victory but I don't get mad at it.

 _Well...I guess I saw that coming...Marian outplayed me again...  
_


	21. Trials

**Chapter VI: Trials**

* * *

After a week of the same routine, Sheldon finally finds something on the CD that we can use and calls the Splatoon together in the living room to show us this "underlying message" hidden on the original under an ample amount of subtle encryption. Although he didn't say much about what's on it, Sheldon's face said enough when he hit the play button. A nervous octarian in a lab coat in a cramped environment of wires and chemicals is what comes to the screen, his voice whispering into the camera from under a desk.

"If you're receiving this then this message has found its way to the right personnel. No one but an experienced Agent can crack my data encryption," a hoarse voice croaks while every so often looking over his shoulder in search of observers. I smile slightly to myself at the mention of experienced Agent's. _Sheldon is a genius more than an Agent._ "My name is Dr Shokushu and I'm at the re-purposed remains of Cephalon HQ. I cannot say more. Assemble a team and come prepared for major resistance. I will be waiting to guide you the rest of the way." He quickly turns off the camera and the TV descends into static, the transmission leaving me confused more than informed.

Sheldon clears his throat to get our attention, all eyes turning to him and Drosyn looking down at him curiously before he asks her to move him around the room. "I've dug up some of our older Intel about this squid and learned more about this so-called Doctor. From what we've gathered, he's the one mentioned as the director of the prototype doppelgangers program we saw back during the fight with Octavio. On top of that, he's the one behind Drosyn's enhancements." Drosyn interrupts Sheldon before he can say more. "Yes. He had given me the ability to shapeshift using some sort of injections. He will know more about it than I when we find him." Sheldon makes sure Drosyn is done speaking before gesturing towards the TV, Drosyn moving him closer to it so he can take the CD out of the player. "This CD has one more secret on it besides the transmission; An electronic frequency that we can tune our headsets into once we arrive at Cephalon. I've already tried tuning the signal from Inkopolis but no luck. The signal might be a local frequency or requires an answer from the other end."

 _Cephalon..._ w _e keep careful watch over what goes on there to make sure no rogue elements use it as a base of operations...yet we missed this entirely..._ "So whats the plan?" Scurry asks before I can voice it, her face smiling as I snort in annoyance. Marie is the one who answers in a commanding yet amused tone. "What else? We gear up and investigate under the assumption that we face resistance. This is the first solid lead we've had in a long time on this scientist and I'm not about to abandon it." Callie is grinning at the prospect of potential combat while the others are neutral about the coming engagement. _I guess Scurry and I are wary too...we all remember what happened there...  
_

If anyone had any second thoughts, they didn't speak up as the Squid Sisters formed a pair and lead the way towards the hallway. The rest of us file in to walk the short distance to a specific photo on the wall, Marie reaching up and moving it aside to press numbers into a keypad. A scanner appears on the wall which Marie places her hand on. "Agent identified. Agent 1. Access Granted," says a mechanical Sheldon as the wall depresses inwards with the hiss and slides to the right to reveal the armoury. Grim silence and efficiency descending over the group as we walk inside at a hustle, snatching Hero gear off our specific racks and suiting up for the mission. _Our first full engagement as the O.L.S...there's plenty of chances for this mission to go badly..._ As I load my ink tank onto my back and pick up my Hero Shot, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that but my gnawing unease fails to leave me.

 _I better be extra careful...my instincts haven't been wrong so far..._

* * *

Preparations take a little under three minutes to complete, each of us gathering into a circle but all eyes staring at Marie who begins her briefing. "The mission is as follows. We try to avoid unnecessary ink spraying if we can, locate this Doctor and get him out. Quietly is preferable but use your best judgement and keep in contact. On the chance that we're jammed, abort the mission and head back to the checkpoint immediately. Questions?" Everyone shakes their heads no and Marie starts to move us towards our own checkpoint that we'd secretly installed in the armoury, connecting us to the octarian network. Her hand dials in the codes to power up the checkpoint and open the metal shutters long enough for us to use it, preventing any return trips. _Only an emergency override code from another checkpoint can open it without our ID programs...this is risky for a lot of reasons...  
_

I can't help but feel nervous and think back on the unease I felt earlier as we enter the spawn point.

* * *

It isn't a long trip to the high ground above Cephalon HQ, each member fanning out to cover the angles as soon as we arrive. There's no initial contact when we exit just like last time, the all-clear given a few seconds later as Callie and Marie lead us to the edge like a year prior. Looking over the edge, there are no signs of resettlement or reconstruction below nor are there any lights or signs of habitation. Marie asks for anything on scanners but Sheldon shakes his head no. "I've got nothing returning from up here. We're too far away to get an accurate reading so we'll have to go down there for better scans."

"Not yet," she responds calmly, already pressing buttons on her headset to dial in the frequency from the CD. The signal must've gotten a response because we hear her say aloud calmly, "Agent 1. Who's this?" While she listens, she subtly gestures to Sheldon to tune the rest of us into the frequency as we fan out again on the platform and hold position, ink guns pointing in every direction and prepared to spray if needed. A rough voice travels through our comm network as we manoeuvre. "This is Dr Shokushu, octarian scientist. I am sending non-verbal information to your device. Follow the instructions carefully," he states before a click sound kills the line, the information mentioned updating my map with lines and directions leading us to one of the walls on the third level of Cephalon.

"I don't like it," Drosyn states while her ink gun pans the scenery for targets. Marie gestures for her to continue with a nod. "Something seems off about all of this but I can't quite figure it out. He must know this site is off limits so why hide here?" Marie responds by pulling the Hero Charger from her back and working the ink feed while clicking the safety off. "I don't like it either so we go in thinking it's hostile territory. Follow me," she commands as she and Callie dive off the ledge, the rest of us swiftly doing the same. Callie sprays us a landing spot and squid forms impact on the ground with a splash of green ink before rising up and going into a defensive ring. There's enough light to pick out the ruins and sabotage from a year prior, broken lights and power conduits all around us. _Everything is still ruined from before..._ "Lights off. Keep your phosphorescence under control," Marie quickly orders into the comm, my hand obeying and pressing a button on my headset. My headlamps turn off and a clear visor connects in front of my eyes, the area now painted green from night vision. A quick look around with the new vision confirms my previous assumption that the place is unchanged since last we 're here. "We'll take a long way. Keep our arrival unexpected," Marie comments but Callie interjects moments later. "It's unexpected if we're assuming whoever might be watching thinks we're taking the fast route and isn't watching the long route...you get all that?"

Marie gives her affirmative before taking up position in front, the rest of us forming a diamond pattern with two members facing outwards at each point. Scurry and I are on the right flank, both of us with ink guns at the ready and scanning for anything hostile. Marie double checks the formation before ordering us to move, our pace slow and unhurried as we delve deeper into Cephalon.

 _I'm not the only one feeling this is off...that's a relief..._

* * *

Since we had sabotaged all of the kettles our last expedition, we had to take what paths are left intact with some of the ageing and rickety. It isn't really a problem but the silence and the darkness start to make my unease grow. _The silence is unsettling...we're the only ones making any noise with our feet..._ Holding to our briefing, we weren't inking a path to retreat with in order to hide our advance but the more we travelled, the more I felt like it was a bad decision. I eventually break down and whisper my concerns over the comm."This feels like a trap...we don't have a path of retreat and if they know we're coming...we're walking right into their hands-"

"There is a high chance this situation is a trap but the alternative is to leave and have no leads left. We can't wait any longer for answers so like it or not, we have to press on," Marie commands but she tries to lift our spirits after her command. "I know this is a dangerous situation and I'm asking a lot of each of you...but you're the only ones I know who can do it. I believe you can do it...am I wrong?" she says in a challenge which we all respond in the negative, a brief sigh escaping her before she continues. "Alright...just stay calm and stick together and we'll get through this. Sheldon, anything?"

"Nothing but residual ink from who knows when and sporadic electrical discharge from burnt power lines. If anyone's out there, they're well hidden from us," he states with caution but from his agitated tone, we all get the hint that he expects trouble. I refocus back on my scanning of the right side as we advance, my unease still present but now overwritten.

 _Stick together and we'll get through this..._

* * *

An hour of silence and tension gets us to our destination, Marie and Callie standing in front of an unassuming wall looking for something out of the ordinary while the rest of us form a rough parameter. There was plenty of things to hide behind in case we were attacked but we didn't have to wait long because Marie immediately receives a call that she patches into the comm. "Ah, you have arrived. I will open the door for you," a voice states, the wall in front of Callie and Marie depressing inwards and shifting downwards. We quickly form up and ready our weapons, pointing half of them at the entrance and the other half outwards to watch for an ambush. Tense seconds pass before Marie tells us to stand down, Scurry and I relaxing a fraction as we turn towards the entrance. An unassuming octarian in a lab coat and a wheelchair is in the opening, a grim look on his face as he nods towards us. "You came armed...that is good...you'll need it. Please...come with me," he states in a hoarse voice as he swiftly turns his chair around with a lever operated by his tentacle and wheels it down the revealed hallway, Marie ordering the rest of us in after her as she takes the lead.

My mind is still in tactical mode, identifying that the Doctor is unarmed with no visible gear on his person. "Dr Shokushu, I presume? What is all this?" Marie comments to him as she follows, gesturing towards the walls around her more to herself than to him. He responds without turning and resumes his steady pace. "This is a hidden facility we have cobbled together with what little resources we have. It is relatively safe from the current octarian regime but with your arrival, I fear they will now attack us."

"We? How many of you are there? And this place is meant to be off limits to all," Marie asks as the Doctor continues rolling forward, his voice chuckling dryly as he explains. "What better place to hide than a place no one should be? And in total there is thirteen of us, half of which are wounded beyond the ability to fight. They are all octarian's and octolings who have survived long enough to break away from our totalitarian dictator." A mix of emotions is inside me as he explains, respecting the perseverance of these brave few octarians while shaming myself for my lack of effort to aid them. My face remains neutral despite the mood to keep up appearances as Marie continues her conversation. "You said they'll attack now. What did you mean?"

"With your arrival, the regime scouts watching this area have likely reported in and a force will be sent to destroy this place and everyone in it. Prior to your arrival, we have been packing up equipment, sabotaging what we cannot bring, and readying patients for transport. I apologize for not telling you this entire story in advance but these same scouts are monitoring all communications outwards. It took considerable effort to encrypt my direct communication with you." The doctor wheels himself into a wider room crammed with equipment and experiments, continuing towards another door that he opens slowly and cautiously.

The barrels of ink guns aim through the opening at him before they realize who it is, a frightened octoling questioning his identity as he provides a counter phrase that we don't recognize. The octoling slowly lowers her weapon as she moves out of the way, the rest of us piling in and the door closing quietly behind us.

"What do our proximity sensors detect?" he yells into the small room, an octoling at a nearby console chiming in with a professional tone. "The entire map lit up a few seconds ago and I'm counting at least two dozen of blips heading this way. They're definitely the regime's forces judging from the mass. We have minutes before they get here." She flips a switch on the console with her right hand and a button appears, her finger pressing it. A dull thump sounds and Marie is quick to exclaims, "What was that?"

"That was concentrated ink charges going off to destroying likely routes that they'll take to reach us. It won't hold them for long," the octoling replies as she rises out of her chair and picks up a Splattershot from nearby. The Doctor asks her as she turns towards the group, "How many are we able to move?"

"All of them but we'll need the help of our new allies to carry the other two," she replies swiftly and Marie starts issuing quick orders to have Clementine and Whinter assist. The rest of us check our weapons and gear, powering up disabled ink shields for the coming battle. The octoling suddenly recognizes one of our group and moves to aims her Splattershot at Drosyn, exclaiming in surprise and anger, "You?! What are you doing here?!" The group turns to look at Drosyn who has her weapon held loosely at her side, her face in shock as she stares at the octoling in front of her. Sheldon has his .96 Gal aimed at the octoling, sweating a little from the sudden confrontation but holding his fire until given the order. The seconds crawl by as neither side moves or backs down before the Doctor commands the other octoling to lower her weapon. "Drosyn is on our side again so we will discuss this later," he states, the octoling doing as commanded but with a look of anger on her face.

The sound of tearing metal interrupts all of us as red lights blink to life on the roof. The octoling rapidly turns to back to the console and shouts behind her, "How did they get here so quickly?! They breached the outer facade wall already!"

"We'll buy time!" Marie shouts, already ordering the rest of us to follow her back up. We rush back the way we came to find a group of octotrooper shields blocking in the entryway, the fake wall sundered inwards by an ink explosion. Two Hero Chargers spray in unison as we run, taking two of the octotroopers through their narrow vision slits on their shields and splatting them in an instant. An opening is made that Scurry and I exploit, both of us throwing Splat Bombs into the hole in their ranks and eliminating the front rank of the octarian forces in a brutal shower of green ink. We don't have time to revel in our splats because more octarians fill the gap and aim their weapons, my Hero shot already firing as I move to what cover I can find.

The only cover available is the walls next to the sundered door that Scurry and I dive behind, Splatling Gun sprays starting to rain into the closed space from outside. Marie and Callie are behind me while Drosyn and Sheldon are behind Scurry, all of us pressing ourselves as far away from the line of fire as possible as we try to return fire. Sheldon pulls a Sprinkler off his back, priming it and having Drosyn lean quickly into the entryway so he can throw it, the brief exposure to fire has his shield flaring from ink impacts but the Sprinkler flies out and deploys outside. The sound of its ink spray is followed by popping noises of splatting and I lean out of cover with Hero shot aimed, the view down my sights one of the octarians backing off from the entrance. My weapon sprays those within range, popping a few before they can find cover. _These octotroopers are well trained and use advanced tactics..._ Two more Hero Charger shots take out two more octotroopers but the odds change when multiple octarians surge out of the ink. "Snorkelers!" I shout while quickly leaning back into cover as ink starts to fly in our direction, the volume increasing as more octarians capitalize on the shift in the battle. Marie is shouting into the comm over the ink sprays. "Plenty of octarians up here! Any other ways out?"

"Negative, Agent. We only have one way in or out of secrecy," the Doctor responds and Marie curses over our comms. A Splat Bomb lands near my feet and I kick it back outside, returning a few sprays as the Splat Bomb explodes uncomfortably close to us. My anger starts to rise but Marie shakes me on the shoulder when she sees me tense. "Keep the Kraken form for later. We need to save it for worse situations," she commands and I exhale uncomfortably, pushing back the anger and thinking quickly while pressing my back against the wall. "Sheldon, Ink Armor after we deploy. Scurry, Kosh, every Splat Bomb you have out the door," Marie order and affirmative sounds as I pull off every Splat Bomb I have on my belt, Scurry doing the same as Marie counts down. "3..2..1..Mark!" she yells and I prime and throw the Splat Bombs, Scurry and I spreading the bombs out to cover a large area. We don't wait for the bombs to complete their arcs, rushing out of cover as the octotroopers retreat behind barricades that weren't there before. The Splat Bombs detonate in a chain of explosions but octarian forces avoid the blasts, rising swiftly out of cover to spray at us with readied ink guns.

Ink Armor springs up around us before they start firing, absorbing stray spray of purple ink as we dive behind their own barricades from the other side, ink guns spraying over blindly over their own cover to splat those on the other side. Hero Charger shots join the fray and take out any Twintacles that we couldn't immediately ink. The battle turns in our favour but Callie is the coffin nail, her Splatling Gun pinning down the Twintacles for us to mop up in a swift and brutal close range fight. "Clear!" I shout into the comm once the last enemy in front of me is splatted, Scurry echoing my shout as we continue to pan around for hostiles.

"Keep yourselves ready. We're coming outside now," Marie informs us, Drosyn taking up position behind a nearby barricade with Sheldon. Marie suddenly aims down her weapon and sprays of ink at a target in the distance, stating into the comm in clarification. "Southwest. Two Octostrikers coming in low. We need to leave before they get in range." _Octostrikers? They're really serious about getting us if they're deploying those._ "Scurry, Kosh. Clear the path ahead of us. The rest of you start escorting the Doctor and his forces out." We both give our affirmatives as we form up and rush down the path we took to get here, painting it green as we go. _I'm not surprised that it's coloured purple-_

Red lasers start to play over my chest, lurching me back to the now in a panic. "Splat Chargers!" I shout while quickly turning back towards the barricades, one spray shattering my Ink Armor while another my ink shield before I can get behind cover. The sprays start to rain in on exposed targets as everyone around us goes for any cover they can reach, Scurry sliding in next to me. When I look over, her right arm is missing the elbow down and she injects herself with an emergency ink syringe, roaring in pain as it seals the wound. "Scurry's been hit! We have octolings are blocking our exit!" I shout into the comm as something pings off our cover, my body bracing as an explosion of purple ink sprays behind our barricade. Thankfully, none of it flies over the cover. "The Octostrikers are speeding up. They're right on top of us!" Marie shouts into the comm and every ink gun present tries to stop the more imminent threat. The Octostrikers have a swarm of octocopters and octobombers around them to absorb most of the fire, some of them returning fire and forcing some of us to reposition.

The Octostrikers get within range and paint the ground with targeting lasers, my head craning upwards to look at two inkstrikes falling towards us with the panicked knowledge that there's no way we can survive two of those at once _._ Seeing no other choice, I let my anger take hold and run to the centre of the platform, my body shifting into a cyan Kraken above the others. I direct a massive tentacle to swat one of the inkstikes off target to fall into the chasm nearby but the other one impacts my mantle, detonating in a geyser of purple ink that I try to point away from those below me. The pain is intense from the ink burns but I block it out, moving my massive tentacles to swat the two Strikers out of the sky. Flying blob bodies turn to purple ink stains from the high-velocity strikes as my other tentacles clear the sky until nothing octarian is left flying. A few sporadic Splat Charger sprays hit me on the purple painted part of my mantle but the sprays steadily decrease over time.

My eyes close as I shift back once I'm sure there are no more hostiles nearby, taking a knee and breathing hard from the exertion when I become an inkling. I stagger over to Scurry and plop down next to her with an exhale, her face grinning at me despite the loss of an arm. "Nice moves. I thought it was over for a second," she says playfully but with a concerned tone. _We got really close to death there..._ Grunting a response to her, I turn towards her to quickly double check the wound, thankful that it isn't leaking green ink anymore and didn't appear life-threatening. Marie quickly commands us to get ready to move before more enemies show up, Scurry and I nodding to each other as we get to our feet.

As we move back to the group, I get a good look at the procession of refugees we're rescuing. Some of the octolings and octarians are missing limbs, needing extra assistance to move that Clementine and Whinter are assisting with. One of them is missing both of her arms and the other is hobbling along on one of her legs, a Slosher held in her hands despite the wound. _They must've had no access to extra ink if the wounds had remained._ Looking back at Scurry, I ask her if she can still fight despite the wound she has which she responds by brushing me on the right arm with her remaining hand, smiling at me before saying, "Try and stop me."

"Turn off your night vision now. We need to use lights to guide the refugees," Marie interrupts with her commands and we do as instructed, visors retracting back into our headsets and dual lights activating to illuminate a path. Marie and Drosyn pass us by, Sheldon looking in concern at Scurry and fighting to say something. "I'm sorry...the Ink Armor wasn't ready at the time and I didn't time it-"

"Don't worry about it, Sheldon. This scratch is nothing an ink bath can't fix," Scurry quickly responds, making a show of brandishing one of her Splat Dualies to inspire confidence. It doesn't last long as we fall back into our diamond formation, Scurry and I nodding to each other as we take the right flank. The refugees were in the centre of the formation, those who could fight on the outside and those who cant behind them. Only then does Marie order us forward, the walk is slow and tense as we watch every angle for potential avenues of attack now that we know of the aerial octarians in the area. I keep looking at Scurry's missing arm in concern despite her confidence. "Thin stream weapons...that's not a good sign..." I mumble but Scurry responds anyway. "It just means less conflict of morality when splatting them I say," she responds while swinging her Dualie around with her remaining arm as we advance.

 _It meant that someone else is responsible...and it isn't Octavio..._

* * *

Each of us is expecting to fight all the way to the checkpoint but instead, there's no resistance at any point of the journey and the sporadic purple ink trails are the only signs that other forces were here at all. It's only when we arrive at the main landing do we get our answer, a single purple inkling standing with their back to us. He's wearing simple fatigues with an ink tank on his back with his head lowered, a Splattershot held loosely in his right hand. "So...you're here..." he figure says aloud and my gut lurches when I hear his voice. _He has my voice...that's impossible...  
_

The inkling raises his head slowly and turns around, horror rising in me as I look at my own reflection. "So...we finally meet...at last..." he states slowly as he walks towards us, his weapon still dragging along the ground. My weapon isn't raised either, still held at rest in front of me from the shock of seeing this abomination. _That's impossible...I thought only the dead could become doppelgangers..._ "Yes...I am you...but are you me?..." he says slowly, his purple gaze leaving mine to look down at his weapon that slowly starts to rise to his chest. He brushes the weapon with his other hand before finally turning it slowly on me.

Scurry makes the decision for me, her Splat Dualie raising and spraying ink before any of us realizes she moved. The doppelganger moves incredibly fast, angling himself out of the way of the ink stream without seeming to move and changing targets in a heartbeat. I use the opportunity to rush forward, weapon holstering and right shoulder down in an attempt to disrupt his concentration. He calmly shifts his aim to me and pulls the trigger, purple ink sprays hitting my ink shield but not enough to stop me before I impact him.

The impact doesn't move him, his body motionless only for a moment before as he picks me up by my jacket and throws me to the ground with a crash of gear, a roar of pain escaping me from the impact. His other hand starts spraying ink at the others behind me even as he calmly speaks to me. "You are not me...you are weaker...you are the imitation..." he hisses to me but my hand reaches for his belt, clicking a Splat Bomb as I dive into the ink on the floor and swim away.

As I rise out of the ink, the Splat Bomb I had armed is sailing towards me and with my shield compromised, I had no defence against it. Scurry steps in front of me and kicks out to deflect the bomb back but the fuse is already shortened, detonating and sending her sliding away with ink shield shattered. My copies Splattershot aims at her to finish her off but I dive in front of the shots, my ink shield still sundered and my body taking a few ink shots before a Hero Charger shot hits the Splattershot out of the copies hand. I fall on top of Scurry in a clank of gear, breathing hard in pain as my body tries to fight off the foreign ink burning my skin and leaking into my system. My body tries to black out but I have to make sure Scurry is OK, flipping her over to see that she's fine despite the explosion and the impact. The grin on her face quickly becomes a look of concern when she sees my eyes flutter closed, my breathing starting to falter as my body starts to shut down.

I close my eyes, my name being shouted in my ears as I black out.


	22. Rebuttal

**Chapter VII: Rebuttal**

* * *

My eyes snap open in disorientation, quickly looking around with caution but only fractionally calming me down when I recognize my surroundings. _I'm back in my own room...I remember taking a hit and blacking out..._ I swiftly surge upwards with slight discomfort in my chest and back, taking in the room with a growing sense of unease. Panicking slightly, my body swings to the edge of the bed and my feet hit the ground a little too hard as panic drives me to move towards the hallway door, my body in pain but manageable. The door opens automatically and the first squids I see are Marie and Callie who are outside with their backs against the wall and chatting about something I don't quite hear. Their glowing eyes meeting mine and I put a hand to my head when it starts to hurt. _Something's wrong...I can see it on their faces..._ "Kosh...I'm sorry...they...they took Scurry..." Callie says in a sad voice, my mind not comprehending what they said. When it does click, the information hits me like a Kraken blow and I feel my ire grow. _How? Why? What happened when I was out!?_ "Where?" I hiss in response to their words, feeling my anger rise to the surface even as I try to shove it down. _This cant be happening! She was right there! How could she be taken!?_

Marie responds in a calm yet commanding tone to my question. "We don't know yet where she's being taken but Sheldon has been tracing the beacon on her jacket for half an hour now. We have to wait until it stops moving before trying to mount a rescue." My teeth grit to prevent myself from shouting in rage and my hands tighten into fists and it takes me long seconds to calm myself down again. _I was right there! How could I let this happen!?_ "Why?" I ask them in a hiss, Marie meeting my angry gaze and answering in a hollow voice. "When you blacked out and we splatted the doppelganger, the octarians deployed a force they had in reserve. Who they actually wanted was you for reasons I didn't ask for because I immediately refused. We fought our way out but not without casualties among the refugees. Scurry made sure you got in first but...she stayed behind to act as a rearguard. She...she didn't come through the checkpoint..."

My eyes shut involuntarily as the anger I'm holding back becomes too much, my body turning to slam a fist into the nearest wall again and again to vent the frustration. The guilt ate away at my mind while pain started to sting on my bruised knuckles. _No! This can't be happening! How could I let this happen!?  
_

It takes a few minutes for me to calm down from the pain, falling to my knees and breathing hard as my hands throb from the abuse. _My body is still weak from the ink sprays..._ Callie and Marie put their hands under my arms and help me to my feet. "We're getting her back, Kosh...don't think we've abandoned her...but we can't rush this and we just need time to get their location-" Callie starts to explain but the sound of rapid footfalls interrupts her. My head turns weakly to Drosyn as she starts to explain rapidly, "The beacon has stopped moving and we've found her location. None of you are gonna like it..." Marie asks for confirmation and Drosyn's next words pause any further questions. "She's been taken to Octaria Point Fortress," she says in a sad voice and my mind goes full circle as it fills with dread. _O.P.F...the most heavily defended military installation in Octaria...no one has ever come back from there..._ Marie doesn't seem cowed by the information in the slightest. "We need to plan this out properly if we're taking on a major point of their forces. We're gonna need some help-"

"You handle that..." I say grimly as I move out of Callie and Marie's grip, thanking my body that it didn't feel too weak now. The armoury is already opened nearby and I roughly point at Sheldon and Drosyn to follow me. "Kosh, you're in no condition to take the field again! You're going to get yourself splatted!" Sheldon states behind me but I'm don't obey him, my feet already heading into the opening of the armoury and taking me to the far side of the room. Clementine and Whinter are sitting against a wall holding each other when they notice me, my gaze clearly scaring them as they hold each other tighter. _It didn't matter that they're afraid of me right now...I'm here for a reason..._ I don't bother to address them, still moving across the room as I address Sheldon. "Sheldon, how's the prototype equipment?" I demand while moving in front of a glass case embedded into the wall that housed what I needed.

"The M.I.G.S. and the Hero Plate!? I haven't even field tested either of those! It needs more development!" he shouts at me but I turn around, staring him down before realizing I'm scaring him too. _I need their help._ Closing my eyes and sighing try and calm down, I wait a few seconds before answering his plea. "Think of this as field testing," I say with finality, turning back towards a glass case and punching in codes on a keypad next to it. With a hiss of escaping air, the glass swings open to reveal gear the experimental Hero Plate gear, designed by Sheldon out of lightweight ceramic that can resist ink with solid plates covering most of the body. On a wall rack in the case is the Multi-Ink Gun System, an experimental weapon that, in theory, can morph into any weapon available to squids.

I don't bother with ceremony, pulling out the helmet and removing the wireless data spike at the base of the helmet. _In theory, I know how this works...just plug this device into the back of my head..._ "Kosh, the mental strain will be intense when you put that thing in! I haven't tested it on an inkling yet!" he warns but I'm not caring, stabbing the data spike into the back of my head and gritting my teeth as pain blossoms in my brain. _It feels like having hot air searing my brain!_ I open my eyes after realizing I had closed them, streams of information now whizzing past as the suit flashes information in front of me. **New user identified. Agent 5. Calibrating systems.**

My face is grim as I start to put the chest plate on, the material lighter than I expect them to be yet sturdy and inflexible. "I'm going with or without you squids and I won't force any of you to go on this suicide mission," I say idly as I slap the armour onto my arms. "Each of you has others wanting you to come home...Scurry is all I have...and I won't just let them take her from me," I say with growing anger even as I quickly don the rest of the plates, hardened ceramic covering my entire body save the head. Before I can put on the helmet, footsteps sound from the entrance as I stare down at the helmet. _I won't have a face...just a mass of ceramic out to splat those in my way..._ "That's why we're going in force," Marie says in a clear voice from behind me, my reverie was broken as I turn around in my preparations. I feel much of my ire drain away when I do.

Team Splat Jam and Vitamin Ink are there in full, members gearing up at the discretion of Sheldon and strapping on jackets and ink tanks. Before I can ask what's going on, Clementine interrupts while prepping her jacket. "There's no way we're letting a family member be held by octarians against her will. If we have to lay siege to a fortress to save her, then we will." Whinter jokes while preparing next to her with his usual grin. "Besides, this means you won't shy away from doing this if any of us get kidnapped. Agent's look out for their own, right?"

Callie chimes in while prepping her Splatling Gun. "Everyone here was asked and accepted willingly, Kosh, so don't worry about willing or not." I feel a bit of guilt build as I watch them prepare, my mood no longer angry. _They're willing to fight in the worst possible scenario for us...and I was about to go it alone..._ I look down at the helmet in my hands, chuckling slightly as I turn it around and place it on my head. "Let's hope they provide a warm welcome," I joke to the others, turning back to the glass case to pick up the M.I.G.S. It felt alien holding it in my hands, a squad box with no trigger or grips but as I watch, it seems to shift in my hands into several weapon types and adjust itself to have a grip to hold, information about each weapon displayed in detail. _I couldn't even begin to understand how this weapon works..._ Sheldon is brought over by Drosyn to inspect the suit, his headset scanning the exterior and interior workings. "The armour is functioning normally but be careful with it. It'll act like a second skin and won't hinder your movement but it's still vulnerable to ink fire," he says aloud before running his scanner over each plate of the armour. "The ceramic compound I used for the plates is a work in progress and can still be broken with enough damage." I look at Sheldon with a smile and the suit shrugs in response to my movements. "It'll do, Sheldon. Thanks again," I say while nodding my head at him, moving towards the checkpoint with a weapon in hand. "I won't allow another Agent to be lost on my watch..." he says behind me, stopping me in my tracks as I turn around. _I've never seen him this serious before..._ I walk back the way I came and place a hand on his head, smiling at him as I speak. "Sheldon...I don't hold what happened back then against you and you said yourself that we need to move on from it...but if it makes you feel better...you did everything in your power to prevent disaster and no one blames you for what happened."

He doesn't look convinced so I give him a brief hug, trying my best not to exert the armour's strength as I feel him return the gesture. "I'll bring her home, Sheldon...for both of us..." I whisper before handing him back to Drosyn who nods at me in understanding. Clementine interjects from across the room as I move towards the checkpoint. "It's not like we can tell everyone here to forget about what they're about to witness, right? Both teams are now in as deep as the rest of us." Looking at those preparing to go fight, doubt started to settle into my enthusiasm. _Some of them are so young with so much to live for..._

I look down at my other hand now covered fully in a ceramic placed gauntlet, the hand starting to glow green within coursing through it just below the surface. "I'm going through first and when I'm in, give me one minute to assess the situation and give the all clear," I state while stepping towards the checkpoint and holstering my weapon on my hip. I look to Marie for confirmation and she nods while strapping an ink tank to her back. "Would you obey if I said no?" she states dryly and I look at her in no small amount of shame. "Yes, I would obey every other time...but they made it personal..." I state and she nods again while rising to her feet. Callie interjects without needing to with a wide grin. "It's either you wear that suit or I would've! I'm glad you're awake enough to use it!" she states with amusement, another laugh escaping me as I respond sarcastically, "Should I feel honoured by that?"

The other squids in the room start to finish their preparations when I approach the checkpoint, each with their signature weapon in hands. Sheldon starts to punch in the codes to open the checkpoint, metal shudders hissing open as I walk forward. "Bring her back, Kosh...for all of us..." he says grimly as I get near, my face smiling as I turn to face him. "Hey, I'm not doing this by myself, remember?" I joke before turning back to the checkpoint and diving in, the suit liquifying to allow me to travel through the pipes.

 _We're coming, Scurry...hold on...  
_

* * *

The exit checkpoint is sealed with a metal shutter similar to ours but the metal explodes outwards when my body rams through it at speed. I fly upwards as a blob of ink before hitting the ground and before I fully solidify, four Twintacles begin to shout at me and raise their ink guns. I don't give them the chance, snatching my weapon from my hip and changing it to a Roller in a heartbeat before charging rapidly and swinging. My body spins in a circle as I allow the Roller to smack each target, swiftly splatting the four Twintacles in the room in seconds. The Roller morphs into a Splattershot once they're down, my body pointing in several directions for anything else hostile.

Around me is grey concrete and a small room, a metal door leading out now sealed from the other side with the click of locking mechanisms. _Nothing in the room but silence and-_ The silence is broken by blinking red lights and the sound of an alarm as I quickly keep scanning the room. A strange control terminal is near the door and I move to it, wiping away some of the ink from a splatted octarians before staring at it. My armour starts flashing information as I approach. **Scanning systems. Enabling System Bypass.** Green ink starts to coat my free hand and a targeting mark displays on the console, my mind putting the pieces together as I slam my hand onto the target. Green ink seeping into the system and a connection are formed with the suit. I'm forced to close my eyes as information stream straight to my brain. _I know where Scurry is!_ I don't even hear the others entering the room until Marie speaks from behind me. "Kosh, what can you see?"

"Second level courtyard, two floors up...there are stairs nearby...I'm disabling some of the security..." I say aloud, my eyes still closed as the armour wreaks havoc on the octarian systems. I smile to myself when I say the next line. "Correction...I've disabled all of the automated security and closed off major access ways. Their forces will be hampered for a time." My hand moves away from the console and my mind stings slightly from the pain of separation, my head shaking as someone taps my shoulder. "You OK?" I hear Callie say and groan out an affirmative before shaking my head further and drawing my weapon again, a Splattershot forming in my hands. I move in front of the now open metal door and take the point, teammates following behind me and no one questioning where I'm going or why.

As soon as I enter the doorway, ink sprays start to splat off of my plates and a red flashing warning in my eye flares. **Multiple Contacts. Painting Targets.** As the armour starts highlighting targets in and out of cover in glowing outlines, the Splattershot in my hands morphs into a Sting Ray. Pressure builds quickly and I pull the trigger hard to release a high-pressure stream of ink that cuts through the octarians in the hallway. The weapon changes back to a Splattershot as the armour tells me what I can already see. **Searching...No Targets.** The armour also highlights the offline cameras and wall mounted ink guns that lay motionless as we pass, squids behind me sabotaging them with sprays of ink to make sure they don't turn on again.

 _This seems to easy...but then again we're turning their own defenses on them...  
_

* * *

The resistance is scarce since other forces were locked behind metal doors that can only be opened electronically. Some of the systems did remain in octarian hands because a menacing voice blares from speakers once we reach the stairs. "Oh, look here! Someone is thinking of rescuing a particular inkling, aren't they! Fine, let's play then!"

All of us recognize the voice immediately, having seen the horrors the voice can inflict. _That's the octoling from before...and she has Scurry..._ We move cautiously up the stairs in search of traps but none are present and those defences that could stop us are sabotaged in their offline state. Only when we reach the second floor do we realize why, a squad of 6 octolings at the end of the hall each with a Special weapon block our path. "Get back!" I shout down the stairs as I charge headlong into them, Inkzooka tornadoes flying towards me as I evade. The suit is incredibly swift, able to rush past their projectiles and arriving at their position in seconds. Blue warnings blare in front of my eyes as the suit warns me of the failing plate integrity from the glancing shots I receive, a percentage counting down that represented the plates integrity. **50%. 35%. 25%.**

The octolings try to backpedal to evade me, dropping empty Specials and raising ink guns to fire at point blank but several long-range sprays of ink from the squids behind me take out two of them, shattering ink shields and splatting bodies before I'm on them. My Splattershot bucks in my hand as I hold the trigger, ink spraying in a constant torrent to splat another octoling as they try to raise a Slosher. The others don't last much longer, their evasion cut short by quick sprays on ink but my grin of triumph turns to surprise as proximity warnings start to blare. **Contact Rear.** The counter of enemy combatants in the suits sensor range rises swiftly and I turn around to see figures start to rise out of the purple ink.

"Doppelgangers!" I hear Callie shout as ink guns start to spray, the noise raising an octave in volume as a new threat starts to emerge. I ignore the fleeing octolings behind me and watch as the enemies ink guns return fire and pinning the team down. My weapon is already shifting again, changing into a weapon the armour identifies as an Octo Missile Launcher, my display rapidly painting eight targets as I pull the trigger. Eight missiles scream out of a boxy weapon to explode among the doppelgangers, each explosion bathing a large area in green ink. The odds immediately change in our favour as the team surges forward to paint the ground quickly and wipe out the survivors, the battle lasting seconds before the area becomes clear.

Even with our success, the squids who are with us are in a grim mood, a smile that would easily form now grim and serious in the face of a real battle. Another proximity warning indicates an enemy behind me and I turn around swiftly to see an octoling trying to attack me with a Roller at point blank, her weapon already swinging horizontally. My left fist surges forward out of instinct, punching her in the stomach as the armour discharges the green ink in the fist out of the knuckles. Her body splats into a green smear across my arm while my other arm quickly stops the weapon from striking me. "What the hell are you?! You should already be splatted by now!" the same voice blares angrily over the speakers as I continue my advance, idly speaking into my comm as I look for more hostiles at the staircase. "She can see us somehow. Ideas?"

"Maybe she has proximity sensors near her," Sheldon responds as I wait for the others, already readying myself for the next floors. More Doppelgangers try to stand in my way as I ascend the stairs, springing from the walls out of the ink to engage at melee range but they're dispatched with minimal effort as I match them blow for blow with a Roller. _I owe you, Whinter...I learned this from you..._

Once we hit the third floor, the voice blares at us with a little more desperation. "You better stop right there! If you ascend that stairway, this little inkling is gonna be missing her brains!" My armour pings in as we notice the same thing, the signal now highlighted blue on my vision. **Transponder located.** _I can see Scurry's Hero jacket's transponder!_ The armour also picked up how many were in the room above, three red targets visible as I turn back to the group. "I have an idea but I need to go up alone. Marie, I trust you'll know when it's time to act," I state, Marie about to ask for confirmation but I don't wait for affirmatives, already rushing down the hallway to rapidly ascend the stairs at the far end.

 _I hope this works...  
_

* * *

The courtyard on the fourth floor resembles a rock garden with greenery in uniform patterns, my weapon drawn and scanning for targets as I try to stay low and walk quietly. Three octolings stand at the far end of the room with weapons drawn, one of them having a Splattershot to an inklings head that I recognize as Scurry. I immediately recognize the black octoling in the centre as the one who tortured and killed several of our allies in Octaria, her face smiling at me darkly and her hand nudging Scurry's head with her ink gun in emphasis when she sees me. "My, you are a brave one. How did you know I wouldn't blast her as soon as you arrived?"

"If that was your intent, you'd have already done it," I say calmly, targeting systems already locking onto the three opponents and my weapon shifting into a Splat Charge. I ready myself to fire but wait for the right moment as she laughs darkly at me. "Well if _that's_ how you want to play it...want to try your luck and see if you can kill us before I pull the trigger?" she gloats, pressing her ink gun harder against Scurry's head.

"What do you want?" I ask while aiming down the sights of my ink gun, her dark smile widening to reveal sharpened teeth as she tilts her head. " _That's_ an unexpected question. Let's see..." she says darkly before swiftly putting the ink gun to Scurry's stomach and pulling the trigger lightly to shoot her once. Scurry grits her teeth as her body fights off the purple ink flooding her system but I remain motionless, my weapon still ready to fire. "Oh wow! You didn't even flinch when I sprayed her! I guess she means little to you then!?" she giggles darkly, pulling the trigger again to fling another shot at the same spot, Scurry roaring in pain from the shot. The black octoling's face darkens as she hits her ink gun across the side of Scurry's head. "Hey! Did I tell you to speak!? Be silent!" she shouts in growing anger, pushing her ink gun against her head threateningly as her rage leaves her face and is quickly replaced with a dark smile. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, you asked what I wanted," she states casually as she ponders for a second, scratching her chin with the barrel of her weapon.

I'm tempted to pull the trigger of my weapon but the other octolings are aiming at Scurry as well and I didn't know if I could splat them all before they fire. "Well, you did ask so let's make it interesting. You remove that suit of yours and drop your weapons and I'll allow you both to enter the courtyard. Make any sudden moves and you both get splatted. Once there, you get the best choice of all! You get to choose who gets splatted!" She looks down at Scurry and kicks her forward with malice, commanding her to move as she grins back at me. "Better get that armour off fast! My trigger finger is itchy!" she gloats as she sprays Scurry, hitting one of her legs and causing her to stumble. _What kind of conditions makes someone like this..._ "Keep moving or it'll be the other leg too!" she shouts at Scurry as she fires nearby.

I don't hesitate in obeying despite my reservations, taking off my helmet and disconnecting the data jack from the back of my head with a yank. Pain blossoms in my brain as the connection is severed and the information fades from my eyes, nearly blacking me out. I grit my teeth and start removing my armour plates, swiftly throwing the compromised plates into a pile along with the weapon. Now only in street clothes, I take cautious steps towards the centre of the courtyard with the black octoling leader aiming her Splattershot at me. She lets off a single shot that hits my shoulder, my face pained as the ink eats into my skin. "Oh my! You _are_ a tough one! So much effort to save one inkling!" she laughs sarcastically before her face darkens and her voice becomes threatening. "Do you know how many octarians died from your hands? I lost count a long time ago...have you kept count?"

"Thousand, give or take," I state calmly and the black octolings face becoming one of rage as she shoots me again, taking me in the stomach and forcing me to bend forward from the shock. "Thousand, you heartless creature. Thousand! Thousand of lives snuffed out by you and your ilk! There isn't enough suffering in this lifetime to make you atone for what you've done!" Despite the pain, I continue to walk forward calmly and the black octoling grins at me. "And yet what happens if I take the most precious thing you have away from you? What will you become?" she laughs darkly as she sprays another shot at Scurry, hitting her in the back and knocking her onto her face with the impact. I try to reach down to pick her up but the ink gun in the octolings hand aims at my head in a heartbeat. "Don't. Touch. Her," she growls angrily as I rise back up, looking down the barrel of her weapon as she brandishes her ink gun in front of her. "See this ink gun? I'm in charge of what happens! You do what I say or you go splat!"

I wait for her next demand, body tense as she gives me another dark smile. "Good boy," she states while aiming her ink gun at Scurry again and pulling the trigger. Instinctively, I step in front of the shot, taking it in the knee and slightly collapsing forward from the pain. "Did I tell you to get in the way of the shot?! Get back where you belong!" she shouts at me but I remain motionless, staring at her defiantly with pained eyes. Her smile darkens as she shrugs theatrically, moving to wielding the Splattershot in both hands as she comes to a decision.

"Fine...playtime's over then..." she states as she holds the trigger, her ink gun spraying on full auto. Ink shots hit my body in several places as I recoil in shock but remain in place. She keeps firing but somehow, I'm able to absorb more and more ink until I'm forced to lie down on top of Scurry from the pain, my will no longer able to keep me upright as she continues to spray me on the back. "How are you not splatted!? That was enough ink to splat any inkling!" she shouts in fury, keeping her finger on the trigger as she pelts my back with purple ink. I'm wondering the same thing as I close my eyes and breath, feeling the jolts of shock as more ink hits my back. "The hell is wrong with this thing!? Why aren't you exploding!?" she shouts, closer this time. I can't respond to the pain and it takes me a while to realize that her Splattershot's barrel is placed against the back of my head. "I don't know what the hell you are but let's see how you do without a brain," she growls down at me as I hear her laugh lightly with malice.

Long range ink sprays sound in the distance, an ink shield flaring before the follow-up shots splat the octoling above me and splatter green ink over us from her explosion. The fire intensifies but suddenly dies off, my head swimming from the foreign ink eating away at my insides. I feel my body pulled off Scurry and injected with something, a roar of pain escaping me as my vision clears and my body heals violently. Clementine chastises me as soon as she sees I'm OK. "Great Zapfish, Kosh! That was a stupid plan! What were you thinking!?"

"I dad to...get her guard...down..." I croak, sitting up and removing my shirt and shorts now soaked with purple ink, grateful that it had absorbed the worst of the sprays. I exhale sharply as I turn to Scurry who's sitting up as well and I hug her out of principle, both of us silent as I exhale in relief. "Kosh...?" she croaks out with tears forming in her eyes as I pull her into a closer hug, her arms wrapping around my neck weakly as she lightly sobs. "You...you came for me..."

"I would never...leave you behind..." I sob in return but Marie breaks the moment by shouting to us, "We need to go! Your suits override is being undone and security is reactivating!" Recognizing that we're still in danger, I pick Scurry up and feel incredibly drained of energy as I pass her off to Whinter who retorts, "Kosh, you can't put that suit back on. The strain will-"

He can't say more because an explosion sounds from the far end of the room, the sound of tearing metal followed by octarian battle cries as they storm into the room. Even as I run back towards the armour plating, the room becomes filled with noise from the sound of ink guns firing and ink shields absorbing shots. The other's run with me, only returning the occasional shot but focusing on extraction. We reach the pile of armour and my hands grab the data jack on the floor, the tip still coating with my ink as I force it back into my head with a roar of pain. I fall on my hands and knees from the information flooding my brain but I use my anger to push through it. _We can't fall now! Not after we've gotten so far!_ Ignoring the pain and exhaustion, I slam the helmet and armour plates back on my body quickly and grab the weapon off the ground.

Ink shots are coming in heavier from the octarians now, Splat Charger and Splatling Gun fire entering the mix as more elements join the fight. _There's isn't enough cover to make a stand but I can use that too!_ My weapon shifts into a Killer Wail and I shout for the others to get down, my armour already giving me the ideal trajectory for my swing to hit the maximum amount of targets. Squids go prone but continue to spray ink from the ground as I pull the triggers, my arms sweeping the destructive wave of ink and sound across the octarians. The idealistic garden becomes a green mess as those octarians standing turn into puddles of green from the blast waves, the entire formation reduced to a stain with a single sweep.

I rapidly turn around and shift my weapon into a Stink Ray, my armour having already painted more targets blocking our way as I pull the trigger. A stream of high-pressure ink sprays out into the octarians shielding themselves behind cover, the stream piercing through barricades and tearing through shields with ease. **Ink tanks low.** **Seek ink supply immediately.** My left-hand touches the floor as instructed, green ink from the ground sucked into the tank and replenishing the supply. My head shakes when my vision starts to fade to avoid and I bring my weapon back up, a Splattershot entering my hands as I storm forward to clear the way.

 _I can't stop now...we need to leave..._


	23. Perspectives

**Chapter VIII: Perspectives**

* * *

I blackout as soon as everyone is through the checkpoint, my body collapsing against a random wall where the armour was meant to be racked. I dream of everything that happened before, the feelings of outrage and the urges to splat those responsible following me from wakefulness. Octarians, octolings, and doppelgangers stand in my way but nothing survives. We freed those we could but we couldn't rescue them all because time was in limited supply.

We all agreed that the fortress had to be destroyed or they would rebuild and have reason to attack us. Marie gave the order. _She told me to kill the zapfish powering the fortress, overloading them so that their detonation would collapse it._ I obeyed because I didn't have another choice, my left hand meshing with the security systems and overriding any safety measures to do as she commanded. _I can still hear the screams...creatures crying out for help..._

The guilt kicked in as the fortress alarms blared, my eyes locked on my gauntlet as the fortress systems commanded everyone to evacuate. _I killed them...I killed everyone..._ The moment of shock doesn't last because octarian troops rush into the checkpoint room to prevent our escape, my weapon rising and spraying in my hands to hold them off to the last.

The thing I remember most was my own screams of rage and sadness, frightening even myself as tears run down my face even as I end more lives with torrents of green ink. _They couldn't even see my face...just a monster...slaying them in their own lands_...

Then the dream ends and I find that the reality is far worse.

* * *

The only solace I have once the mission officially ends is that it wasn't entirely my decision. Marie made the call to destroy the fortress and everyone agreed at the time. However, the weight of the choice is on everyone when we're allowed to rest, the faces silent and grim with no one speaking a word to anyone else. The younger ones have tears in their eyes, seeking the comfort of each other's embrace to ease the pain. Clementine was the only one unaffected by our situation, taking temporary command and moving each of us into ink baths in the hope that the healing of wounds can help us overcome the trauma. Whinter had bathed me as soon as I got back, helping me out of my blackout and telling me to bathe Scurry with a grim face.

It's hard for me to do what he asks on an emotional level, Scurry's normal grin and quick smile now suppressed under zapfish knows what horrors. What cuts me the most is that I couldn't bring myself to blame anyone but myself, even though I shouldn't. My hands keep rubbing ink on her body to try and blot out my trauma, cleaning scars and discolouration along Scurry's body even as tears form in my eyes. I don't bother to wipe them away. "I'm sorry, Scurry...no, sorry isn't good enough...I left you at the whim of that mad octoling...to zapfish knows what torture..." I whisper, my eyes closing feel my sadness boil over. "Nothing I do can make you forgive me...but you're...you're all I have in this life..." I sob with a mind clouded by sadness, my arms pulling her into a hug that she makes no move to return. "I don't...I don't know what to do...please...please help me..." I sob as my hand brushes her hair tentacles, sobbing loudly and sadly as my mistake becomes complete. _I don't know what to do...I don't know if anything could fix this..._

Arms lightly wrap around my neck in return, causing me to jump slightly in shock and causing the sobs to die in my throat. "Don't be a baby...give me more credit than that..." Scurry whispers into my ear and I immediately pull back to look at her, her face exhausted but somewhat normal. "Just give me time to soak...and I'll be fine..." she asks and I obey with a quick nod, my arms letting her go so she can float in the ink for a few minutes. I take a seat on the toilet to make sure nothing happens to her, watching her float there the whole time until she sighs and rises into a sitting position. She grins at me when she shakes her head to fling ink at me. "Hey! You're making a mess!" I say while laughing in relief, her response to grin at me and shake her head a few more times.

Her face changes subtly as she reaches her left hand out to me and I take it, both of us looking down at the holding hands with mixed emotions. "I was already sure you'd come...that black octoling was counting on it..." she whispers while grinning evilly at the held hands. "She was pretty sure she'd win...but I guess she thought wrong..."

"I went through some...terrible things. Do you...forgive me for...for..." she starts to stammer but I bring her into a hug, her sobs filling my ear as she holds onto my back. I feel my own tears gathering even as she keeps speaking. "I was trying to...to protect you but...you...you nearly got splatted...I'm sorry!..." she sobs but I brush her hair tentacles to comfort her and shake my head. "I guess that really means we're bad Agents...we both disobeyed Marie's orders..." I find myself chuckling slightly and am glad when she giggles a little in response, pushing me back to look at me. Her face rapidly goes from sad to embarrassment as she wipes away tears. "I just hope that...that we can move on..." she whispers and I read enough of the mood to move forward and quickly kiss her. I practically rip off my shirt and shorts as the mood sets in, her arms and legs wrapping around my body as I enter the tub with her and hold her close. We end up sitting upright in the tub with her body pressing against mine to snuggle out our sadness.

She hums at me as she rubs her crotch against mine and I chuckle at her. "Alright, Scurry...no need for theatrics..." I whisper as my hands lightly move to her hips and I pull her body downwards, a slight groan escaping us as we connect. Our hips start moving as we press against each other firmly, kissing and hugging with abandon to try and blot out the sadness. No words are spoken and the only sounds we make are groans and sighs of excitement as we let the mood take us away. A light hum escapes us both when the first spurt of ink leaves my body into hers and her ink sprays onto me, both of us relaxing and leaning on each other for support with a happy sigh. My left-hand rests behind her head and my right hand on her back, her hands doing the same to my body. "I won't let that happen again...we...won't let that happen again..."

"And if it does...?" she whispers, my embrace tightening slightly as I respond. "Then I'll come for you, no matter the odds...even if I have to go alone..." She rubs her cheek against mine in the form of a nod and I can feel the grin on her face. "Callie's outside," she whispers and we turn awkwardly so both of us can see Callie in the door frame trying to hide the lower part of her face. "Do you...want to join in...?" I ask unintentionally, not sure which answer I want to hear nor understanding my own motivation for asking. Her eyes open wider in shock as she moves away from the door frame, the auto door on the bathroom closing behind her. I turn back to Scurry who has a wide smile on her face as she gloats to me, "Did you really just ask her that?"

"Yeah...I let the moment mess with my head..." I whisper to her in embarrassment, now ashamed of what I just asked. _What's wrong with me? I've never even entertained that thought before...maybe it's the trauma talking..._ Scurry doesn't let the conversation slide and continues with more inappropriate lines. "And if she's out there, not in clothes and ready to go? What do you plan to do?" she asks seductively and I tilt my head slightly to think about it. _I have to consider my options carefully..._ "Assuming she's out there and if she accepts the offer, I don't think I have a choice...it would be stale for me to offer something like that to just say I was kidding." Scurry's smile darkens as she playfully nibbles on my neck as she continues in a whisper. "You just dug yourself into a dark place. What about Marie and the others? What will they think when they here you shared ink with one of their friends?"

"I'll never know what they're thinking any more than knowing what you're thinking. Let's worry first about what's outside the bathroom," I explain and her hands grab my head and pull me into more kisses in response, my eyes closing as we start to use tongues. The warmth and moisture almost pull me into another round of sharing ink but I disobey, closing my mouth and slightly pushing her away to both our visible disappointments. I give her another light kiss on the lips before whispering, "It wouldn't be nice to leave her waiting if they're outside...let's just check and see first, OK?...then we can come back to this..." She nods her head slightly with a wicked smile, moving off of me and stepping out of the tub while getting cyan ink all over the floor. Her head half turns as she starts to dry herself off, the same wicked smile on her face.

"I'll hold you to that..."

* * *

Both Callie and Marie are sitting on the bed and looking at me with unknown expressions when I exit the bathroom. I immediately try to head back to the bathroom but Marie orders me to sit down next to them in a stern tone. Scurry and I make a quick trip and take our seats but I'm commanded to sit between Callie and Marie. I'm blushing from embarrassment and no small amount of shame at not having the opportunity to put on clothes. "Tell me what you told Callie, Kosh. I want to hear it from you," Marie states in a voice that offers no negotiation. I gulp in nervousness and try to think about what I said and how to say it without sounding bad. "I asked if she wanted to join us," I stammer eventually with as much conviction and calm as I can muster but the sweat starting to appear on my face gives away my nervousness. Although I'm staring straight ahead, I can feel Marie and Callie measuring me in my peripheral vision. "And why did you ask that?" Marie asks in the same voice, my head remaining straight ahead to avoid seeing her angry. "Because she keeps watching us trying to learn...and I guess I...might've considered that maybe she needs...a hands-on lesson?" _What am I saying!? I'm gonna get the skin flayed off my body at this rate!_

Scurry is snickering to my right and I reach over to push her forehead lightly in irritation, the move doing nothing to stop her at all. To my surprise, Marie just unexpectedly says as I try to chastise Scurry, "That's fine but if you're going to do this, I need to be here to supervise. The last thing I need is for you to go overboard and-"

"Wait, what!?" I exclaim with a face in disbelief, turning to both Callie and Marie to see them smiling darkly at me. "OK, slow down. What!?" I repeat, Scurry leaning over to tap me on the nose with a finger. "Stop freaking out...it's not a big deal..." My eyes dart between everyone in the room as my head spins, my entire stance now unsure. "This is a big deal to me! How can any of you be-" I try to say but Marie puts a hand gently over my mouth, silencing me with a smile as she shoves me onto my back with her other hand. _Is this really happening? This really is happening!_ I try to rise from the bed but moves to sit in my lap and force me back down, her body moving to lay uncomfortably on top of me with a look of embarrassment and excitement. I move my hands to my sides involuntarily to avoid touching her. "Whoa! OK...I didn't think...uh...wow..."

"You offered, Kosh. Be responsible for your actions," Marie lectures to my left as I turn my head to watch her and Scurry go towards the table at the far end of the room. I laugh a little when I spot the tea set and snacks on the table, Marie obviously coming prepared for whats about to happen. My head snaps back to Callie who wastes no time seizing my head and kissing me on the lips. _My body both repelled and attracted to the prospect..._ My hands move between throwing her off and holding her close as I try not to freak out, wondering to myself how I got here and why this was happening.

I force myself to calm down and relax when information breaks through the cloud of surprise, my eyes closing and my arms pulling Callie closer to me as her tongue enters my mouth. _If I let myself get agitated, my ink might turn acidic and burn her..._ _I can't let that happen..._ Now committed to doing whatever she wanted no matter how uncomfortable it felt, my hands start to move on their own to rub her body, already moving to lift her shirt off. Her body stiffens at first before she allows me to do so but I can only get her shirt partially off before she pulls away. Her face is blushing bright pink as she stutters, "I...I'm really...really nervous about this...so...can you...take it slow..?"

"Yeah...sure..." I whisper while rising into a sitting position and holding her close. Suddenly, she starts to sob as her head goes over my shoulder and my reaction is to put my chin on her head while rubbing her hair tentacles. My confidence starts to wash away when confronted with Callie in tears. "It's OK, Callie...it'll be alright..."

"No, it won't be! Nothing is alright anymore!" she shouts through sobs as she tries to pull away, my hands relaxing a fraction but not enough for her to escape. "All those squids...all those squids gone..." she sobs as I hold her, her sobs increasing in volume again as she vents her frustration. The pink ink of her tears sizzle as they touch my skin but I endure the pain, knowing that I already agreed to do whatever she wants and that I'm slowly becoming used to the pain. She must have heard the sizzling because she tries to pull away. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to-"

I pull her back towards me instead, whispering to her that it's alright and that she can let it out. She does exactly that, continuing to sob loudly and crying enough ink to start coating my back. The pain slowly becomes an uncomfortable tingling as my body adapts and she vents everything at that moment. I sit there in silence and listen to everything she's had to go through with only Marie to help her out. _She's gone through so much alone...and Marie's in the same situation..._

I continue to brush her hair with my hand as I listen, waiting patiently until her sobs settle down. _Callie is forced to be publicly confident...but she's just as vulnerable to trauma as the rest of us..._ A few tears fall down my face as well, the sound of hissing emanating from Callie's hair but I'm grateful she doesn't notice it. Her breathing seems hard as she tries to calm down, her breathing borderline sobs as she teeters on the verge of another breakdown. My hand quickly wipes off the cyan ink from her hair tentacles and my face before I speak. "Easy now...deep breaths...just relax..." I whisper to her while rubbing her hair tentacles and back, long minutes took before she able to let go and look at me. Tears are still in her eyes and a sad look is on her face as my fingers try to wipe away her tears with the sizzle of ink burning skin. "Doesn't...that hurt?..."

"Not really...with what I've been through...this is just irritation," I state while holding up the hand to show the ink absorbing and discolouring the skin. She starts to tear up again when she sees this and I move to cut her off, kissing her in an attempt to make her focus on something else. Ink burns my face and the inside of my mouth as her tears and tongue brush me with their ink, her mood still upset and causing the ink to burn. I ignore the sensation and focus on making her feel comfortable, the burning slowly cease as she calms down.

She suddenly breaks away from me with a gasp and pushes me onto my back with her body, her arms wrapping around my neck as she quickly moves back forward to kiss me aggressively. _I guess you're in the mood now?_ My arms start to try to remove her shirt again but she pulls away again, her tongue licking my face a few times before she looks at me with a hungry look. "What happened to nervous?" I ask her through breaths of exhilaration, Callie smiling and blushing heavily while pressing her cheek to mine. My face cringes as she pushes the ink of her mouth further into my skin. _That kinda sweet but...kinda gross..._ "I was nervous before but...you're acting like such a noble squid...I feel...is this what...sharing ink feels like?..."

"Yeah...I guess it is..." I respond, feeling my face start to blush to match hers while continuing to brushing her hair tentacles. _I have minimal experience with sharing ink too...I've only been with one other squid..._ A smile crosses my face as my eyes close, a thought occurring to me as Callie giggles to herself. "I'm still naked, aren't I?" I ask in embarrassment, Callie still giggling as she responds. "I thought that was on purpose-"

"I blame myself for this," I blurt jokingly, still brushing Callie's hair tentacles while my other hand tries once again to remove her shirt. This time she finally cooperates, her face grinning as she lifts her arms off me and upwards so I can pull her shirt off from the back. I find myself going through automatic actions when my hand goes to her back and undoes her bra with a flick, minor shock crossing my face as her chest is exposed. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." I stammer but Callie blushes further, looking more nervous but not pushing me away or moving off me.

"Just...just do what feels...natural..." she stammers and I exhale in nervousness, moving my hands forward to brush her back as I go partially upright. "What do you think is...natural...?" I ask her, her blushing increasing as she starts to shake a little. I notice the minor tremors and hold her close to me, trying my best to ignore her chest pressing against me. "We don't have to go further, Callie...you're shaking..."

She exhales nervously as she moves my hands to her chest, a look of surprise on my face as she does so. _She doesn't have a small chest...but it's not a large one..._ I don't do anything initially, frozen in mild shock at having my hands on her in this way until she orders me to rub them, my hands obeying as I slowly rub her chest. Her body relaxes visibly from my touch, her hands moving to hold me around my neck and back as I continue to rub.

The reality of the situation crashes into me like a Splat Charger shot. _I'm rubbing Callie's bare chest with my hands and she's enjoying it..._ Suddenly, she moves my hands again and places them on her hips, whispering into my ear for me to take off the rest of her clothes. I do as instructed, moving her to a laying position and letting go of her so I can remove her shirts and underwear. She covers her face as I do so, trying to hide her blushing face as she becomes fully naked. "Stop making this more embarrassing..." she blurts as she tosses her clothes aside with her hair tentacles, surging back upwards and wrapping her body around mine while lining her crotch up with mine. Shes breathing roughly and shaking uncontrollably as I place my hands gently on her hips and adjust her body to line up with mine.

"Don't be scared...I'm not going to hurt you..." I whisper but seeing that she's still shaking nervously, I move my hands to her back out of concern. "Just...just do it already..." she blurts, my head nodding and grimacing slightly as my hands moving her gently downwards. The connection causes her to yell loudly, the sound ringing in my ears as I push past her bodies initial resistance. My crotch starts to burn and I look down, seeing pink ink coating my lap and discolouring the skin. My first thought is to comfort her, my hands moving to rub her back and slowly bring her closer so I can put my head on her shoulder. _I'm afraid that she'll pass out at this rate..._ "Are you OK?..." I whisper roughly as my body twitches from the mix of feelings.

"It feels...good..." she breaths happily into my ear, her face moving back with a bright smile and relaxed expression. Unbidden, she starts to move her hips and hum at me in annoyance, I smile forming on my face before moving myself. Our movements are slow and deliberate, a friendly cuddling with gentle motions in comparison to what I've done before. She starts to glow pink and my own body glows cyan as phosphorescence comes life from the darkness. _Was it that late already?_ "It's late, Callie...maybe we should..." I start to say but she gives me a sad look of disappointment. I can only smile as I don't finish my sentence. _No way could I call this off right here..._

She starts moving slightly faster as she gets comfortable with the sensations, a groan escaping me as I whisper to her, "Callie...I don't think..." She kisses me to silences me, her legs locking around my waist and arms holding me tightly as she moves. The force of her grip pops something in my chest and hip but I ignore both, focusing on the motions and proper timing. It come's soon enough and we both groan into each other's mouths as ink leaves my body and paints her insides, my arms tightening lightly around her as her ink coats my lap. Callie nearly passes out in front of me, her eyes fluttering closed but remaining halfway open as we breathing heavily from the ecstasy of sharing ink. She eventually closes her eyes with a content smile that warms my heart with its sincerity. "Hey, Kosh...you wanna...share rooms now?..." she whispers as she breathes, the question so sudden that I can't respond. _All I can feel now is our inks mingling...it's the strangest feeling I've ever felt..._

Shadows pass over me and I look up groggily to see Scurry and Marie standing in front of me, also glowing green and cyan from phosphorescence with looks of amusement on their faces. "The answer is yes, Callie," Marie states while rubbing Callie on the head, Callie giving an exhausted cheer before relaxing. Scurry grins at me and eyes the entire scene in front of her. "I told you you'd end up taking advantage of them at some point. Congratulations," she gloats with a sarcastic thumbs up and I exhale in both exhaustion and frustration. "You...really aren't helping..."

"Sure I am. I'm helping by agreeing with Marie to share you with her and Callie...It's not like you have a choice because they have needs too and everyone else in the house is committed to someone else...except you," she says with a wicked grin but I don't respond, my head flopping back as I exhale again. _Did I ever have a choice half the time?_ Marie emphasized the point with her next statement. "Secondly, we have to make room for our new members so this room is being given to another group. This is non-negotiable by the way."

"Let me get my things..."


	24. Acceptance

**Chapter IX: Acceptance**

* * *

It takes half an hour to move all the stuff from our previous room to the Sister's room and thankfully, we remember to clean up the messes in the bathroom. Clementine had walked in right after I had finished with Callie wondering what the noise was, swearing loudly at me before storming into the hallway. I remember asking Callie to splat me at that moment to end the embarrassment but her only response to smile wickedly and kiss me a few times.

Callie doesn't let me go either, most of the half hour spent trying to get her comfortable enough to get off me. Her strength made it impossible to simply push her off and after several bouts and a few spurts of ink later, she finally passes out with a blissful expression on her face and our combined ink leaking out of her onto my lap. My body feels totalled at that point, unable to move as I nod to Marie in thanks as she picks Callie up and cleans her up and getting her dressed to carrying out of the room.

Scurry gave me the grim prophesy that the night isn't over yet, one I fully appreciate when as we're getting settled in, Marie locks the door of the room after hauling in the last basket of our clothes.

* * *

When I look around our new room, Callie is laid out on a futon on the floor and Scurry is grinning at me as she drinks some leftover lemon tea and snacks from the other room. I feel a presence behind me and turn around slowly to see Marie in front of me, her arms wrapping around my neck as she forces her tongue into my mouth. The kiss is smothering and nearly gags me with its intensity, my hands automatically moving to her back and head to give her maximum satisfaction. I trip over some debris on the floor as she backs me up, both of us tumbling to the ground with Scurry laughing in the background at our clumsiness. I hear Callie gasping as well, likely waking up from the noise.

All of that is a moot point because Marie was still kissing me aggressively and I'm forced to lightly push her back. I regret it when I see the tears of lime form in her eyes, my head slightly turning to avoid the acidic droplets getting in my eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry, Kosh...I just..." she stutters out from a sad face, sitting upright on me as her hands go to her eyes in an attempt to wipe away tears. _Hesitations not on the menu..._ I pull my body out from under Marie and her sobs increase before it ceases completely when I reach forward and pick her up, her arms moving around my neck to steady herself as she finds herself off the ground. "Don't worry, Marie. I do this all the time," I say with a gentle smile, swiftly carrying her to bed to our growing embarrassment. _The bed we now share... zapfish, this was gonna be awkward..._ I sit her on the bed's edge and sit down next to her, turning slightly to hug her. She doesn't return the hug immediately because her tears start to flow again. "Why am I always last? Why does everyone else get to be happy first? Why?" she whispers sadly, my hands already moving under her arms to bring her towards me. My hand goes behind her head and back as she latches onto me, my eyes closing as she starts to sob quietly. "I know the feeling, Marie. Leading always feels like that, doesn't it?"

"Why me? Why does it have to be me to lead everyone? I'm...I'm not a decent leader...I...I had to..." she stammers and I brush her hair tentacles more, letting her break down in my arms as her lime tears burn my shoulder and back. _It must hurt...ordering what she had to..._ Marie's calm facade finally breaks away, revealing a vulnerable squid who finds herself in charge of everything and forced to make the hard decisions. My guilt starts to rise as she sobs, my head lowering in shame. _And I undermine her decisions sometimes...That can't be good for her confidence..._

Suddenly, I'm pushing her away to see her face sad and crying, her eyes opening slightly even as I kiss her passionately. I watch her eyes flutter open in shock at the sudden move before closing gently, one of her hands moving behind my head as my eyes close soon after. I don't notice the burning in my mouth or on my face, hands moving on their own to pull the knot on the back to undo her dress. Her body presses against me to keep her dress on but her back is exposed, my hand rubbing her skin as she shivers slightly from the touch. I pull away from her gently but she brings me back gently with her hand, our kiss continuing until she's comfortable enough to let me go. My hair tentacles quickly remove my shirt and moving towards my shorts, my hands taking Marie's dress off as she lifts her legs casually to help with its removal. Before we move to fully exposed, we embrace gently with a sigh and I feel some of my guilt fall away. "You let me...you let me make my own mistakes..." I whisper to her and her face smiles ruefully in response. "I did...and I regret it...you need to be disciplined often until you're the model squid male," she says sternly but I can tell she's joking from her hand rubbing my head. I feel Marie move her hand under my underwear to touch my crotch and I tense slightly at the feeling, my own hands starting to unhook her bra. Our eyes meet strangely as I find myself whispering, "I know you want this but-"

"You're already too deep to stop," Marie states with a smile, her face still blushing as she pulls back and starts to pull off my underwear. "Don't leave the task half done," she states with growing excitement. I smile and give a yes ma'am sarcastically as I push her onto her back, a groan of excitement escaping us as we press against the bed and my hands undo her panties as my face kisses her further. _Marie is a little taller than Callie..._ I pull away lightly with some of her ink dribbling off my lip and something tugs beneath me, my head looking down at one of her hands pulling the sheets in an attempt to maneuver it. "I just thought that...you'd want to...I can..." she explains but my smile only deepens when I notice what she's doing. "So you like under the covers too?" I ask playfully, her smile and blush matching mine as we both move around to pull the sheets over us and get comfortable again.

We progress slowly and pleasantly, savouring the moment together as my hands explore every curve of her body and her hands doing the same to me. She smiles embarrassingly as I feel her legs open, the legs wrapping around mine and pulling me towards her as my arms move around her back. "Don't keep me waiting..." she whispers as I gently push myself into her, a gasp of pleasure escaping us both as her hands dig into my back lightly. Marie pulls my back to brings me into more kisses, her body completely relaxing as I start to move slowly.

Her hands leave my back and mine leave hers as we mirror actions, both sets of hands locking together as we share warmth. "I love you..." I hear myself saying, a sad smile and tears now on Marie's face as she looks away suddenly. "Please...please don't say that..."

"Why?" I ask with a smile but not expecting an answer. She keeps her head turned away as she answers. "Because you love Scurry...you would go to the ends of the world for her...and I...I'm not that girl..." she whispers as her eyes close, tears starting to fall onto the sheets. I move my face closer slowly and nudge her face around with my nose so that she's looking at me. "It doesn't have to be just her...that was before..." I whisper, moving our hands in emphasis as she continues to stare at me with sad eyes. "You need this as much as I do...I...also...don't want...to"

Something changes suddenly in my mood because tears start to form in my eyes. I try to shake them away but Marie releases her hands from mine to pull me close. "Why...can't it be me too...why do I have to be...why me..." I stammer, unable to tell whats wrong as my mind whirls. Marie gently strokes my hair tentacles as she whispers to me. "That's our largest problem, isn't it? We need to rely on each other more."

My heart still hurts, my arms wrapping around Marie suddenly as the sadness becomes too much. Realizing that my tears might sting, I try to move away but Marie keeps her embrace even as my tears start to sizzle against her skin. "No, Kosh...you didn't let go when others were hurt...allow me to do the same..." she whispers, the hurt finally boiling over as I start to sob loudly for reasons I don't understand. Marie stays there the whole time, gently stroking my head as my tears fall with abandon. It slowly dawns on me why I'm crying but the hurt remains.

 _They're willing to walk through misery with me...and I can't even express it to them..._

* * *

It takes several minutes for me to calm down enough to wipe away my tears, Marie kissing me on the forehead before placing her forehead on mine. "It doesn't matter that we can't understand why you're sad...just come to us and we'll be there, OK?" she whispers, my head nodding weakly with a sad face. She starts moving me gently about, taking my hands in hers and moving me on top of her as her legs wrap around mine. "You need this more than I do," she whispers as I give her a sad smile. "No...we both need this..."

We both gasp gently as I glide into her for the second time, my body slowly moving as our hand's release so our arms locked around each other. My mouth lightly kisses her, the kiss unhurried and gentle as I keep moving. "I just...knew...it would be you..." Marie gasps between kisses, one of her hands gently grabbing my head as she forces her tongue into my mouth, her warmth pushing me to follow suit. _She can claim me all she wants...and I'll let her..._ I gasp when she finally lets me go, her ink still dribbling out of my mouth. "What makes...you say that...?" I whisper while kissing her the same way in return, taking long moments before allowing her to answer. "Callie...wasn't the only one...watching..."

Her arms move to my back to press herself against me, a gasp of excitement coming from her as our skin touches. I chuckle to myself before continuing to kiss her, my body rubbing hers gently. "That doesn't..." I start to say but I can't finish the words. Her body locks around mine as we reach our limit, a gentle gasp of release escaping us as ink moves among us. _I've never shared ink like that...no rushing.._. Marie is already pulling me back towards more kisses that I'm happy to oblige, her body relaxed but still remaining wrapped around mine. "That doesn't..." I try to continue but Marie kisses me as I try to speak, making sure to thoroughly explore my mouth before pulling away with a gasp. "I'll tell you...later..." she gasps before returning to kissing.

I'm mid flow when I hear a knock on the door, freezing in place with my tongue still in Marie's mouth when I hear Whinter's voice. "Everything OK in there? I heard some crying."

"We're fine, Whinter. Thanks for asking," I hear Scurry say, my head turning to look at her and give her an awkward smile of thanks, Scurry's face grinning at me and gesturing back to Marie. She moans lightly when I push our bodies against each other again, our bodies moving gently before I speak. "I guess we all have to get used to that," I whisper while kissing Marie on the cheek and neck. She smiles but yawns a little, the yawn spreading to me as I feel exhaustion start to kick in. My limbs become mush as stamina drains from me but I have enough to roll off Marie, laughing to myself weakly when she lays on my right with a happy sigh. Movement catches my eye to my left and I see Callie rising from the floor with drool running down her lip, her body already rising to its feet but moving to lift up our bed sheets and laying down on my left side.

Scurry is suddenly at the front of the bed with a grin of her own, crawling onto my front and planting herself there before moving under the sheets. My head leans back to look at the ceiling in exhaustion, my eyes closing as I say aloud, "Did I die somewhere? Is this even real?"

"It felt real enough to me..." Marie says lazily from my right.

"Me too..." Callie says from my left.

"Three to get ready..." Scurry jokes.

"And off we go..." I say sleepily, my eyes finally closing.

* * *

"Kosh, get up! KOSH!" someone shouts from nearby and my eyes groggily open, the ceiling light blinding me before my eyes adjust. I move my tongue around the inside of my mouth, feeling parches and drained as my head tries to look around. Scurry is still on top of me and I try to nudge her off only for her grip to tighten around my neck. My hands instead move to hold onto her as I go upright, careful not to disturb the sheets too much as I rise.

When my vision becomes adjusted, Marian is in the room looking upset and embarrassed at me. "Get up, it's already 2:00 P.M.! You missed most of the matches already!" she shouts at me and I grunt a little to clear my throat, one hand leaving Scurry's back to rub an eye before saying with a yawn, "How did you...even get in here...isn't the door locked?"

"Sheldon can override locks in case of emergency. We thought something bad might be happening in here and it turns out we were right," she exclaims, crossing her arms in irritation and tapping her foot against the ground. My hand leaves my eye to go to my head as it starts to throb, the hand rubbing my hair tentacles slightly to ease the pain. I look around me slowly to see if there's a way out of bed. _Marie's blocking one side...Callie's blocking the other._ Seeing no easy way out, I sigh to myself before answering. "You might want to exit, Marian...I'm not sure you want to see me underneath the blankets-"

"Well, get a move on! We don't have all day to wait!" she rages as she storms out of the room. Callie starts to giggle from where she's laying, my head moving around to see her eyes closed but her face smiling. "Someone got in trouble," she gloats with amusement, my hand moving from Scurry's back so that my left hand can lightly shove Callie. "You sounds like Scurry now...that's the last thing I need-"

"It's already too late for that. You're just going to have to live with it," Scurry retorts as she turns my head back and lightly kisses me on the lips before pointing for me to move. I groan slightly at her but follow her instructions anyway. "I'm still not sure I like being ordered around or not-"

"You enjoy it. Admit it. You haven't once tried to stop us when we tell you to do something," she states and her gloating face causes me to groan through my teeth as I slowly shimmy towards the front of the bed. "I'm cleaning this place up when we get back," I state as I start to move my feet carefully to the floor, looking over the mess that carpeted it. "If you're curious about what we're into, you only have to ask, Kosh," Marie says lazily from behind me and I blush slightly before answering. "That's not really the concern. My concern is tripping over things...I mean look at this mess," I state with a sweeping arm to gesture towards the room. "I'm surprised I didn't hurt myself just entering this place-"

"Your issue, your fix, Kosh," Callie gloats, the sound of a thump making me turn my head to see her rising to her feet and stretch her arms before carefully waltzing to the bathroom. My head jerks back around swiftly to avoid staring at her naked body for long, Scurry noticing me blushing and grinning in my face. "Don't be embarrassed at them being naked. It not like you haven't already inked her insides cyan or anything," she states while rubbing her face against mine and arms wrap around my neck from behind as Marie joins in. "I admit...it was a lovely experience..."

"Much as I'd love to continue last nights adventure, Marian is already angry at me and now that we're living under the same roof, the last thing I need to do is upset her." I look at Scurry who frowns at me theatrically before smirking, her body quickly sliding aside as she elaborates on how little fun I am. I reach to remove Marie's hands but stop for a second, holding her hands and turning my head partly to say a gentle thank you. She seems a little surprised at the thanks, blushing slightly before I release her hands. "Zapfish, Kosh! How come you don't do romantic moves like that with me!?" Scurry blurts while sitting in the chair near the table, her hands behind her head as she casually waits for the bathroom to be available.

My feet finally touch the floor and I stoop down to pick up some of the clothes and random things. "Do you want me to? I'm just getting used to each of you have a different way of doing things and different tastes and-" I try to explain when I pick up a pair of underwear that clearly belongs to Marie, my face blushing slightly as I put them under my arm with the other clothes. Scurry sees the move and laughs aloud before snickering, "Keeping a souvenir, are we?"

"I'm just collecting the laundry. Give me a break, will ya?" I say with irritation but she doesn't let up, elaborating on the subject with a grin. "What will you do with that, I wonder? Fantasize about her while smelling them? Maybe using it to-" I groan loudly to cut her off and retort angrily that I understand. Scurry just laughs and continues to lounge in her chair with a satisfied look on her face.

Before I can continue picking up the debris and laundry off the floor, a towel slaps me on the side of the face, disorienting me before I can remove it and look towards the bathroom. Callie is peeking out of the door with a blushing face. "Can you...bathe me...today?" she asks timidly, causing me to laugh and look over at Scurry who's now sitting upright in her chair slightly irritated. "Hey, that's cheating!" she yells, my response to shrug theatrically and head towards the bathroom to a giggling Callie. "She asked first. First come, first serve," I say over my shoulder and I don't hear what else Scurry says as the auto door closes and locks behind me.

* * *

Callie is already in the tub soaking herself in pink ink when I arrive. I freak out slightly as she shakes her head and the ink touches my skin but lets out a gasp of relief when it doesn't burn. "Zapfish, Callie! You scared the ink out of me there!" I exclaim but all she does is giggle while bathing in the ink. "Relax! It'll prevent your ink from burning people!" she states while my hands grab a towel and quickly brush the ink off my skin. I cautiously move to a kneel in front of the tub to dip my hands into the pink ink and rub it across Callie's body. She giggles more when I start to brush her hair and shoulders. "You don't have to be all formal...you can hop in the tub with me if you want..."

"It's hard enough not absorbing the ink with my hands," I say, holding up my hands that are now slightly discolouring from a foreign ink. She grins at me in response and playfully taps my fingers on at a time. "Oh right...forgot about that..."

"Bathing with other inklings is...rare," I stutter out while rubbing more ink on Callie's chest but she puts her hands over mine and moves to the edge of the tub with a wide smile on her face. "We'll if you really want to...you can just use the checkpoint to change colours for a time-"

"Is this going to end up me being on a schedule or something? Swapping colours and spending time with each one of you on certain days?" I state dryly and Callie giggles again while moving my hands to rub her chest. "I'm not as needy as Scurry or Marie...something like this is enough for me..." she whispers while moving my hands on her chest. I give her a light kiss and her face immediately blushes. "That's...that's not fair..."

"Sorry..." I say embarrassingly, removing my hands from her chest to finish washing her. "You know I can't stay today. Marian won't be too happy if I try and skip a turf war and we don't need her first experience living with us to be me being stale." Callie looks at me with a pouty face and I pat her on the head a few times, her face quickly smiling as I rub her hair tentacles. "I'll make it up to you later but for now, Scurry and I need the tub." She sighs sadly with a smile and gets out of the tub, shaking ink onto the floor and making me shake my head in dismay at the mess she's causing.

 _I'm gonna need to get some floor mats._


	25. Casual Talk

**Chapter X: Casual Talks**

* * *

I barely step out of the auto door into the hallway when a hand slaps me across the face hard, leaving a hand print as Scurry quickly exclaims, "Hey! What's the deal, Clementine?!"

"Stay outta this! You! What the hell do you think your doing!? You can't just share ink with every girl you come across! How can you-" she rants but I keep walking while rubbing my face, Scurry and Drosyn following behind me with Sheldon carried in Drosyn's arms. Clementine keeps shouting down the hallway as we walk away. "HEY! I'm not done talking to you! Get back here!" she shouts and I'm grateful when I hear Callie and Marie trying to calm her down even as I rub my face from the sting. Team Splat Jam is sitting on the living room couches, Marian turning to regard me with a similar degree of anger before seeing the hand print on my face. Her anger cools slightly but not by much, Vadelma holding a hand to her mouth while Logan and Whinter give me grins of surprise. "You, Kosh, are in deep ink right about now," Whinter starts with palms upward, my face face grimacing as we head for the penthouse door. "Tell me about it..." I glumly say but quickly hold up a hand when I hear Whinter about to answer. "Tell me about it later. We have somewhere to be," I elaborate with a chuckle as I keep walking, the other team getting up to join us with the clank of gear.

"Look at you, Mr. Confident," Scurry says with amusement from my right, my shoulders shrugging even as I tap the elevator button to call it to our floor. Her fingers start to walk their way up my neck as we wait, my head tilting to the right theatrically to let her until the elevator arrives. Although I'm the first in, the space quickly becomes cramped when eight squids in battle gear pile into it. My body is scrunched up against the far wall with Scurry still on my right and Drosyn's on my left, Sheldon able to sit on her head to avoid the crush. Whinter is the last one in and presses the button to the ground floor, the doors closing and the elevator jerking as it descends. Vadelma giggles from my left and I crane my neck to see her looking at a Drosyn's squidphone, both of them noticing me as Drosyn gives me a smile. "You need to read this," Drosyn says, already reversing her squidphone so I can see. Scurry peers over my shoulder and I can imagine the wide grin on her face when she reads enough of the text. I don't share the look, mine one of surprise and a little outrage. "What am I reading, Dros?"

"It appears that you, Scurry, Callie, and Marie are scheduled to appear on Inkopolis News to discuss your new...relationship...with the Squid Sisters," she says calmly, some of the squids giggling in the elevator as I groan loudly in frustration. _My guess is Callie since she does love her social media._ My frustration boils over as I blurt, "Oh, C'mon! Really!? I thought this was supposed to be a private affair!" Scurry shakes my left shoulder immediately to get my attention, my head turning to her and seeing her face neutral. "You're freaking out again. You need to quit doing that," she states but Whinter butts in as well from the front of the elevator. "I mean, you _did_ share ink with them both and Callie _does_ love posting on Squidgram and Squider," he says with a smile colouring his words and I growl in Whinter's direction. "Not helping, Whinter..."

"It isn't so bad, Kosh," another voice butts in and I find ire bleed away at an uncommon interruption. _Logan doesn't usually join our banter..._ "Plenty of squids would give up their own ink to be in your position and you aren't doing them a service by regretting or bemoaning this opportunity. If not for yourself, do it for who would want to be here." My face changes into a smile of resignation as his words hit home. _It's a fair point but I was railed into the situation._ "You're right, Logan. Of course your right-"

"I know, Kosh. You just need someone to tell you what you need to hear sometimes." he says from across the elevator as he adjusts his hat out of habit. I chuckle to myself and push through the teams to remove his hat and rub his hair tentacles. "You little rascal. We'll make a deadly turf war fighter out of you yet-"

"I already am, Kosh, but thanks anyway," he says embarrassed but with confidence, my hand quickly readjusting his hair and putting his hat back on. Arms wrap around my neck from behind and pull me back towards the rear wall of the elevator. "Remember that part about too much fame to your head?" Scurry whispers while nibbling on my ear and I sigh happily when she does, putting my hands on her hands and holding them. "I think it's too late for that now thanks to Callie," I retort as Whinter turns around and gives me a grin and a frustrated groan. "Of all the people that I'd think would get with the Squid Sisters, you are the _last_ person I'd guess," he says in mock annoyance, my face smiling as I chuckle. _You and me both, Whinter...you and me both..._

The elevator doors open behind him and everyone piles out of the cramped space in a hurry except Scurry and I. My hands move to grab Scurry's legs as she rides on my back again. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't really think of sharing ink either. They chose me more than I chose them," I say to Whinter as Scurry lightly bites me on the neck, her teeth indenting the skin but not breaking it. "And?"

"And I'll make sure that I give each of you the attention you need and be there for you through time now and forever," I say sarcastically, eliciting a real bite from Scurry that bites the same mark as she always does. "You make it sound like we made you do this. You have a choice-" she states but a sigh escapes me as I shake my head. "It was either say yes and make them comfortable or say no and leave them emotionally devastated. I really didn't have a choice, Scurry-"

"You love being dominated by girls," she gloats in response, her chin rubbing against my hair tentacles as I shrug at her comment instead of bemoaning it. "Maybe...life seems a little easier when I don't have to choose as much...and I'd say that maybe...maybe it isn't so bad..." I say but Scurry slaps my chest in embarrassment. _There's just no winning!_ "I told you not to do that in front of others! Jeez!"

"We live under the same roof now, Scurry. You'll have to get over it," I state but her response is to pinch me on the shoulder, causing me to wince slightly before I continue. "And seriously, why is it okay that you can show affection in public and I cant?"

"Because _I'm_ the one dominating _you_ , remember?" she states as if I didn't know, a snort of amusement coming from me. "And here I thought this was a mutual relationship," I comment mostly to myself, her arms squeezing my neck to slightly choking me. "You belong to the three of us now...I guess you'll just have to learn how to multitask and how to handle three girls vying for your every waking moment without hurting any of us...good luck with that," she whispers seductively, patting me a few times on the head. The comments get a chuckle out of Vadelma as we arrive at the Battle Lobby, Marian leading the way to the main spawn point with the rest of us in tow.

New eyes now stare in my direction, some of them with jealously and rage. "I really hope that news report gets rid of some of this but I doubt it," I muss to Scurry who leans in close to me to whisper. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting squids to be _this_ upset about this." I shrug to myself, already content with moving into the main spawn point as Marian presses the button for us to start.

 _I mean...I **did** share ink with the Squid Sisters...what did I expect?_

* * *

The matches go by in a blur, four back to back turf wars between Cyan Kraken and Splat Jam occurring in quick succession. We lose every match by a slim margin, my mind not up to speed even though I'm trying my best to remain focused and team Splat Jam outmanoeuvring us every time. I'm glad my team doesn't hold it against me and I'm almost grateful for the defeats.

Marian was still mad that we hadn't won a single match since it meant that one of the other teams was cooking dinner instead of us. I offered to make an exception and cook instead if they won but she refused, saying that she doesn't do pity wins.

 _Well, I tried..._

* * *

My hand shoves a super seanwich into my mouth in an attempt to calm my nerves with food. The news broadcast was in half an hour and I'm nervous enough to sweat a decent amount. Sheldon sits across from me, nibbling on his super seanwhich quietly and it occurs to me that I'm not sure whats going on and that Sheldon and I are sitting at one table while Drosyn and Scurry are sitting at another. Sheldon eventually breaks the silence after finishing his food. "Hey, Kosh...I need...some advice..."

"What kind of advice?" I ask in confusion, already assuming what's about to be asked but waiting to hear it from him. He fidgets a little with his hands before continuing. "How do you...how did you...tell Scurry that you like her...?" he states timidly and I chuckle to myself before I can stop, a grim smile on my face even as Sheldon starts to get irritated. _Since when am I the one to give out romantic advice?_ I take a sip of the juice in front of me before answering, inhaling and exhaling to collect my thoughts. "It was the opposite for me. She came onto me first and I didn't push her away. That's how it's been up to this point," I state before shrugging and taking another sip of juice. "Everyone I've shared ink with came onto me strongly and I didn't resist...I don't exactly know how to help..."

I take another sip of juice before continuing, groaning to myself as Scurry's usual phrase plays through my head. _At least try, Kosh. At least try._ "Now, telling someone you like them?...I don't have much experience with that...but all I can give you is...just tell them, no matter how embarrassing and even if you have the chance of being shot down...it's better being honest with them than letting it eat away at your conscious..." I sigh to myself, finishing off my juice before saying more. "I made that mistake already, Sheldon...I tried to bottle up my feelings and keep it sealed away so it wouldn't get in the way...but what are the feelings getting in the way of?" Sheldon is still just listening, his eyes watching me intently and beckoning me to continue. "All that bottling up did for me is give it room to gnaw when I should've used it to love those I care about...don't make that mistake, Sheldon."

I smile to myself when I see Sheldon blush, my head nodding to him. "And if you don't mind me asking-"

"Who am I saying this to?" he blurts, my head nodding in response as he turns his head briefly to look at Drosyn sitting at a table with Scurry, both of them supposedly out of earshot. "She's just...I mean..." he tries to say as I laugh slightly at myself, Sheldon becoming irritated again before I respond. "I'd say just do what I said. Tell her what you feel and why and let everything you're holding inside out for her to see. I don't think Drosyn is the type to shoot you down and to be honest, I think she's waiting for you to try and court her."

I don't get to continue because Drosyn rises from her seat mid-conversation with Scurry and comes over to pick Sheldon up, carrying him away as I give Sheldon a smile and a nod, his face blushing and nervous. As they leave, Callie and Marie waltz over dressed in kimonos and sit at the table, Scurry leaving her table to join ours as all three of them stare at me. "You guys look...nice..." I say timidly, blushing at them but Callie frowns at the compliment. "That's it? Just 'it looks nice' is what you have to say? You're a real charmer..." Marie taking her side with a nod and calmly adds her input. "A bit more praise is ideal, Kosh." Scurry even chimes in with her usual bluntness and gloating. "He always does this! Why can't you be more enthusiastic about anything!?"

I sigh to myself, shaking my head as I try to resolve the situation. "You three look fantastic," I eventually say with as much confidence as I can, Callie giving me a wide grin and a nod. "See? Now that's something a girl can swoon over!" she exclaims as Marie blushes. "It was...a nice compliment..." she says calmly but Scurry is less excited and crosses her arms. "Maybe if you gave out more compliments like that, you'd actually have a choice," she gloats and I groan in response, rising out of my seat and gesturing for the others to follow. "We better get over to the studio. They're expecting us," I state, my face pointing at Callie in particular but she just grins back at me. "Oh, like you didn't want this to happen! I don't like hiding things from the fans!"

"At least tell us beforehand next time, Callie. Please?" I ask gently but her grin keeps its place on her face. "And if I tell you no?" she gloats at me, her tone similar to Scurry as I bring my hand to my face. "Well, I tried," I say glumly while taking off my headset to look presentable in Replica gear. _It's a good thinks the spawn points keep the outfits clean._

Logan's words haunt me as Callie takes my left arm, Marie takes my right arm and Scurry jumps on my back. _How can anyone be grateful for this situation when I'm being pulled apart by three girls?_ Scurry pats me on the chest a few times with a hand as I walk the streets, the eyes of squids following our progress. "Lighten up, Kosh. You look like this is some kind of execution march."

"Callie's crushing my arm," I whisper aloud, Callie immediately loosening her grip in embarrassment as she whispers a quick sorry. I grunt to myself as I move the arm, the limb now sore but intact. "Why didn't you say anything?" Scurry whispers quickly, my response only coming after I can feel the arm again. "I tried to but it kinda...hurt..." I whisper and Callie makes a show of rubbing her face against the arm, trying to sooth the soreness but only succeeding in making me smile. I remove my arm from her grip to rub her hair tentacles before allowing her to grabs onto it again. "So...about the crowds..." I whisper while trying to ignore the flocks of squids shadowing our progress and taking the occasional picture. Marie chimes in from my right. "You better get accustomed to this lifestyle, Kosh. You're with us now and it's all part of the career." Still smiling but now forcing myself to smile, I remove my arm from Marie's grip and rub her hair tentacles as well, moving the hand to rub Scurry's hair tentacles above my shoulder. I'm surprised she doesn't get angry at public affection but I think it's due to Callie and Marie's presence.

"Yeah...I'll get over it...eventually..."

* * *

It's becoming easier to ignore the crowds once I realize how it's done, my focus now on the three squids I'm with and not the crowds. _It must be strange for Callie and Marie to step into another Inkopolis Studio...specially with Off The Hook..._ There's a roped off pathway that we're meant to follow but we ignore it, heading right for the glass window of the studio room through the crowds of squids. We're already running close to time so we don't have time to stop, Callie and Marie moving in front of me and swiftly asking the crowd to clear a path. My hands reach back to grab Scurry's legs as I rush to keep up, Scurry holding on as the Sisters dash. _They're in kimonos and wooden sandals! How can they move so fast!?_

Callie and Marie rush to the glass of the studio, Pearl and Marina looking out of the window in surprise as Callie touches her squid phone to the glass. The glass opens smoothly to one side as we pile in, Callie waving to the cheering crowd as the glass seals behind us. We pile onto the couch pulled out for us and try our best to relax even as each squid around me gets comfortable. Callie's sits on my left, casually splaying out on the couch. Marie is on my right, refined and neutral with a gentle smile. Scurry is sitting on my lap since the couch didn't have enough room for all of us, grinning and flirtatious while wearing similar gear to mine.

"Well...that was...quite the entrance..." Marina states after we settle down, Callie responding quickly with a grin. "I still remember my old studio tricks. Those glass doors are standard on all studios...though I may have...kept...my old codes when I wasn't supposed to." Everyone in the studio looks over at Callie, Marie saying in with a stern tone, "You weren't supposed to keep those codes..." Callie giggles to herself as I turn back towards Marina and Pearl, Pearl grinning and exclaiming to Callie, "Someone's still just as deviant as ever. Nice one, Callie!"

Pearl raises her right hand forward and Callie springs out of her seat and rapidly rushes forward, slapping the hand with a broad smile before sitting back down. Marina coughs to interrupt us. "We should...get on with the news report," she states timidly as she presses a few buttons on her turn tables to start the show, the signature music and intro playing as we get ready to broadcast.

The two hosts immediately get into character, which surprisingly isn't much of a variation from how they normally are. Pearl starts off the show enthusiastically. "Y'all know what time it is!?" she asks Marina who immediately answers the question with her line. "It's Off The Hook, coming at you LIVE from Inkopolis Square!" Pearl smiles brightly before continuing the broadcast, Marina moving the camera with her controls to encompass the four of us sitting on the couch. "And what news it is! The beloved Callie and Marie of the Squid Sisters have finally found a squid to share their lives with! And we know who he is too! Kosh, the Lone Inkling, now known as the Cyan Kraken, leader of the team that bears the same name!"

She points at me and I cringe while smiling at the titles, the four of us waving at the camera gently. _I don't feel like I'm **that** special..._ "Glad to be here," I say with conviction, Pearl immediately continuing as soon as I'm done speaking. "You brought Scurry, the Wild Fury, too! One of your teammates! And judging by your closeness, there's a little something else going on, right!?" she exclaims, Scurry blushing at the title as I answer for her. "Yeah, we're a couple already."

Both Pearl and Marina gasp, Marina scratches the turntable twice to emphasize the change in tone. "We thought...that was just rumours. So you really are a couple?" she asks curiously and I nod my head once, moving a hand to rub Scurry's hair tentacles as she giggles slightly at the move. "For about a year now."

Marina scratches the turntables again as Pearl exclaims a response. "Wait, so you've been in a relationship for over a year!? So what's this about the Sisters then!?" My left and right hands move to brush Callie and Marie's hair tentacles, Callie giggling playfully and Marie sighing happily as I respond. "We just...started dating yesterday actually..."

Marina does a great job keeping her cool but Pearl less so. "Oh, wow! How did you even pull this off!? I mean, you went from the Lone Inkling to having three girls wrapped around your tentacles!" We all laugh at her comment and Marie is the one who responds. "I wouldn't say wrapped around. It's a mutual exchange," she states as she rubs my hair tentacles, my eyes closing at the sensation as I grin. Marina scratches her turntable again before stating, "Well, to clear things up, let's start from the beginning, Kosh. Tell us how all this happened." I open my eyes and flash my teeth in a smile, not comfortable telling the story but forced to anyway.

"Of course, Marina."

* * *

A years worth of events are summed up in about an hours time. **Scurry is really your sister?!** _Yeah, she is._ **You've shared ink with all three of them already?!** _It was a mutual exchange but yes, I have._ **Aren't you worried about the demands of three girls?!** _I'm not doing this all by myself. We all contribute to the relationship._ **Are you worried that other squids might take them away from you?!** _They choose for themselves. Other squids don't choose for them._ On and on the questions went, personal question after personal question with my answers as honest as I can make them.

"Rumor has it that you had a love interest before all of this. Do you have any comments on that?" Pearl asks with a smile, my face smiling but a sigh escaping me as everyone on the couch looks at me with concern. _They all know the story but now it's about to go public._ "About two years ago..." I say simply but Pearl is stunned, Marina scratching her turntable before she comments. "What happened to this love interest?" she asks curiously and I struggle to find the right words. "We said our goodbyes and moved on because we both started to drift away from each other over time." My mood darkens for a second before I can bring it back, smiling at the hosts as I say more. "That's all in the past now. I have enough to worry about in the present."

"Thank you for your honesty but let's change topics now," Pearl states while moving some papers on the desk in front of her. "Many squids are still curious about the Octarian Liberation Splatoon's current operations in Octaria despite numerous statements by Marie. Is there any information you haven't yet released or plan to release?" Pearl states to Marie who thinks about it, the rest of us leaning over to look at her. "No announcements come to mind that I haven't already talked about. The most I can say is that this new leader of Octaria is being slowly weakened and her forces are spreading thinner. Hopefully, we can put an end to the conflict sooner rather then later." Marina scratches her turntable twice and comments. "Its a brave thing your doing, fighting oppression on hostile territories with no chance of respawn. How come you wont allow more squids to join the fight?"

It's my turn to answer, clearing my throat to speak clearly and looking to Marie who gives me a nod. "It's a terrible thing taking a life for keeps. It's something each of us has already done and all of us agree that future generations don't need to go through the same trauma. I know that volunteers are brave and strong but even the strongest soul can be eroded with enough horror. Better for our team who has experience with traumatic encounters to handle the conflict." I smile a little as I continue. "It doesn't mean they can't do their part. In the off chance these new octarians invade Inkopolis, we need squids who can help us fight in the cities defense. We hope it wont come to that but we can't rule out the possibility." _That was a mouthful...Scurry is right, fame is getting to my head..._

"Thank you, Kosh. But we have one more question before we can let you go," Marina says playfully as she scratches her turntable twice. "What do you plan to do now? You can't be the Lone Inkling anymore and you seem to dislike the name Cyan Kraken," she states and I laugh to myself before answering. "I'll get over it. I may not like the name but people look up to it. I guess I have to be an example for other teams, showing what they can be if they try hard enough." Marina asks another question immediately after despite her proclamation that her last one was the one I answered. "I said one more question but we might as well ask while you're all here. Scurry, what is your plans for the future?"

"Oh, I don't know. Probably stick with team Cyan Kraken for now and help out with the O.L.S. Nothing fancy," Scurry states with a grin at me, making me uncomfortable as Marina turns to look at Callie and Marie. "Callie? Marie? What about you? Is anything going to change now that you both have a boyfriend?" Callie responds first with a grin. "Of course not! Now we just have another reason to perform well!" Marie calmly adds her thoughts as well. "Nothing will change. We only add something to our lives with this, not subtract from it."

Pearl speaks up to finish off the show. "Thank you all for coming in on short notice! We learned a lot today and hope you have a happy time together! Thanks for watching everyone! Until next time..." _Oh great..._ Everyone rises out of their seats as the props roll away on their own, all of us mirroring Pearl and Marina as they take their signature pose. "Don't get cooked! Stay off the hook!" we shout in unison, the camera light turning off as the broadcast ends and everyone in the room relaxing when it does. The props return so we can take our seats but Pearl quickly ask further questions as soon as the camera is off. "So now that we're off the air, how was it!? Sharing ink, I mean!" she blurts and I cringe slightly at the bluntness of her question. Marie blushes before answering shyly. "It was...different...unexpected...and enjoyable..." Callie laughs from my left with another explanation. "Shocking at first but _so_ worth it." Scurry grins at me while brushing my chin with her hand. "What Callie said." All eyes lock on me as it becomes my turn to speak, expectant faces waiting for my answer as I sigh to myself. "Um...where do I begin..."

"Just be honest, Kosh," Marie comforts me with, holding my right hand with her left and making me feel more confident. _I can't say no when she does that and she knows it..._ "Honestly? It was frightening at first...confusing...I guess I'm scared of hurting someones feelings..." I state as I sigh again before continuing. "I'm still scared of hurting feelings...but...I'm glad you forgive me when I mess up..." _Was that really an answer?_ The click of a squidphone catches my attention, my head rotating to Callie who's snickering. "You recorded that, didn't you?" I ask in resignation, her snicker continuing as she shows me her phone. "Recorded and uploaded." A sad sigh escapes me at the violation of privacy, Marie holding my hand and Scurry hugging me in response. "It's OK...I meant what I said...and I guess the public can now argue if I meant it..." I say with resignation and surprisingly, Callie shuts off her phone and holds my other hand. "I didn't...I didn't mean to make you sad..." I move my hand to bring Callie closer, placing my head against hers in a gesture of forgiveness. "I said it's OK...just...do better about that..."

"Maybe you guy's should go home now," Marina interjects, my head jerking around to see Marina blushing lightly and Pearl smiling widely at our antics. My head rotates to my right and I realize that there are still squids outside, some of them crying at the touching scene they just saw. I nod my head as we get ready to depart.

 _I forgot that we're in an open glass studio with everyone in Inkopolis Plaza watching us._


	26. Choices

**Chapter XI: Choices  
**

* * *

When I open the door to the penthouse, the sound of laughter rushes out and my head jolts from the increase in noise. Team Splat Jam and Vitamin Ink are sharing stories and from the snippets I get, they're talking about the four-match spree that we got stomped in. Heads turn to regard our entry and eyes roll when they notice me carrying Scurry in my arms and Callie on my back with Marie walking slightly behind me. Clementine is first to respond by getting out of her seat and walking towards us timidly. I'm expecting her to be angry at us but instead, she looks guilty with her left hand on her elbow in embarrassment. "I'm sorry...I didn't...I didn't know what was really going on and...I overreacted...so..."

"Oh, don't worry about it. No harm was done," I quickly say but she gets irritated as a response, smiling grimly as she shakes her head. "I always hated that about you. You forgive so easily no matter what happens to you. I'm jealous at times..."

"Why? You can forgive just as easily as I can. You're doing so right now," I say in good humour but from her reaction, she isn't talking about us. Her head lowers and I lightly put down Scurry, looking past Clementine to spot Whinter on the couch. "Whinter, get over here," I command, his response to point at himself with curiosity and I gesture with a hand for him to move it. He obeys and quickly rises out of his seat to move towards us with a look of confusion, standing next to Clementine awkwardly. Without thinking too much about it, I turn them both towards each other and push them into each other, both instinctively opening their arms and thumping together into an awkward embrace.

Silence fills the air as everyone in the room watches them awkwardly hold each other, both of them turning their heads to look at me in confusion. I roll my eyes, turning their heads back towards each other and giving Whinter a few pats on the left shoulder. My head nods when I see understanding enter Whinter's eyes, his face moving to kiss Clementine gently to her visible surprise. There's some resistance at first as their lips meet, Clementine trying to push lightly to move Whinter away but he stays put, the resistance fading quickly as Clementine gives in to her emotions. I feel just as sad when I see her tears of orange rolling down her face, my hand wiping away a few tears from my eyes as I hear a few sniffles from behind me.

When they finally decide that they've had enough affection, they break away lightly and Clementine looks on the verge of a breakdown with her eyes shut and orange tears rolling down her face as she tries not to sob. Whinter doesn't look any better, looking frail and uncertain while he holds Clementine and I put a hand on Whinter's shoulder, his head whipping around to look at me with tears of his own. I give him a smile and a nod, a weak smile on his face as I release his shoulder and he starts to guide Clementine gently away to the room they share. I exhale the breath I was holding as the situation is resolved, Scurry jumping back into my arms and nearly unbalancing me. "How did you do that!? How did you know what to do!?" she asks me excitedly as Callie's arms wrap around my neck from behind as she jumps on my back. "Yeah, I'd like to hear how too."

"I guessed..." I say timidly, Scurry looking at me in surprise and not quite believing me before her face starts to cringe and eventually laugh. "So that could've gone either way? That's a dangerous game you're playing, love," she says as I shrug, doing my best to keep stable as I start to head towards the couches with squids hanging off me. "And it'll backfire someday but I'm glad it worked out this time," I say but my sense of unease returns when I do a quick look around the living room and recognize a few heads are missing. "Where's Drosyn and Sheldon?"

Each of the team members on the couch looks at each other before Logan answers. "It's best for you to check on them...they haven't come out of their room in a while..." he says timidly. My left-hand leaves Scurry's back and goes for my squidphone, checking the Battle Lobby records to see who's meant to be cooking now. _Vitamin Ink was the last winning team so technically they're cooking tonight...but plenty of the household is MIA for various reasons now._ "Alright, we're going to need improvisation tonight if we want to eat well. I'll work on that in a second," I say as I start to carry Scurry and Callie down the hallway, looks of confusion following me as I stride away.

 _I hope they're OK..._

* * *

Drosyn and Sheldon had a room right next to the armoury and I try to open it the usual way by stepping in front of the door sensor but nothing happens. "Stand aside," Callie says from my back while releasing her grip on my neck to rush past. Her squidphone is in her hands as she presses it against the lock, the door chiming as it unlocks and a look of surprise rising to my face. "How many codes did you forget to delete?" I whisper in confusion, Callie's responding by moving aside with a grin of triumph. I put down Scurry as well and her face grins at me as they leave me alone to enter the room. I calm my breathing as I step closer, the door opening with a hiss.

It takes some time for my eyes to adjust to the gloom but the first thing I see is that Drosyn naked, her bottom half covered by bed sheets that are liberally coated with glowing purple and orange ink. Shelden is held to her chest, lying on his back with a carefree smile on his face. I've never seen him without clothes or goggles on and I can't help but notice that he has a crotch. I quietly move closer to make sure they're even breathing but Drosyn's eyes snap open when I get close to their bed, glowing purple eyes boring into mine and causing me to freeze in shock as her hair tentacles light up, their purple glow illuminating her surroundings menacingly.

To my surprise, she smiles at me and closes her eyes again while her glow fades, her hands moving the blanket to cover Sheldon. Sheldon exhales lightly as his body turns over to put his arms around Drosyn in a hug, Drosyn holding him in return under the sheets. I use that moment as my cue to leave, door hissing closed behind me. Callie is quick to asks me what I saw, Scurry also waiting nearby as they both look at me with curiosity. My thumb point behind me in answer, my face neutral as both of them move past me to peer into the room and quickly move away and trying not to giggle too loudly. My head gestures away to give them their privacy, inclining towards the kitchen.

 _I have so many questions for Sheldon once he's awake but other concerns come first._

* * *

Callie, Scurry and I quickly arrive at the kitchen, my hand throwing open the fridge door as I shake my head at the meagre stock. _This won't do at all._ I immediately turn towards the front door, Scurry and Callie on my heels and Marie telling the others to help prep while she joins us. "I've talked with the others and have a grocery list," Marie comments from behind me, my movement stopping as I turn around and offer my hand. She places her squidphone into my hand and I tap my phone against hers, information moving to my phone with a beep. A quick glance at my squidphone tells me what I need to know as my other hand hands back Marie's squidphone. "You know me too well," I say with a smile that she returns.

"You've been cooking for us for the past year. I picked up your methods through observation," Marie replies calmly, gasping slightly when I reach forward and pick her up in my arms. Her arms quickly move around my neck for support as she asks me what I'm doing. "Well, Callie and Scurry have already been carried today so I thought, in all fairness, it's your turn now," I say with a smile and she moves her body closer to me in response. Her body is shaking slightly. "Are you...afraid of heights?"

"Of course not. I'm more...afraid of...it's hard to explain..." she stutters while I move towards the elevator, my shoe tapping the call button. Callie chimes in from behind me to explain. "She has a fear of non-mutual physical actions...which means she never likes things happening to her out of her control." As I enter the elevator and turn around, I nod to Callie in thanks as she beams me a smile and I put Marie back on her feet. "Did Callie sum that up correctly?"

"More or less..." Marie whispers with a nod of gratitude and I can't help smiling and rubbing my face lightly against hers. "Would you like to be carried now?" I ask her instead and her head nods lightly as her arms wrap around my shoulders and I pick her up by the waist. "Now I'm feeling threatened. Marie is barely doing anything and yet she gets so much attention from you!" Scurry exclaims from my left, throwing up her hands and turning away from us as the elevator doors close. Callie gives me a grin as she responds to Scurry. "Scurry, you've had him to yourself for the last year now. We've barely had him for two days and you're feeling threatened by that? Plus, didn't you-"

"Yes, I did agree to this! It's just...ugh!" Scurry rants, punching a wall and denting the metal with a bang to the surprise of everyone present. Marie lightly pulls away from me and moves across the room to wrap her arms around Scurry's neck, gently pulling her into a hug. Scurry dips her head in response and I hear a sniffle as Marie starts to explain. "We aren't trying to take him away from you and you aren't trying to take him away from us. Please don't be upset."

"And how do I know that!? How am I sure that isn't happening!? You guys are every inklings dream to have at their side! Me!? What am I to him?!" Scurry is starting to vibrate in contained anger as I move across the room, putting an arm around Callie's shoulders to move her with me. My other arm moves Marie and Scurry closer as I awkwardly try to hold all three of them. They take the move in good humour, turning around and holding me in return. "I may not always show it or say it directly but...I wouldn't favour any of you over the others. You're all important to me and are my best friends and loved ones. Why do I have to choose among you?" I say confidently and my hair tentacles start to rub theirs in emphasis. Faces blush from my attention as I show them I care.

The click of a squidphone camera gets my attention, my head turning towards the elevator door at a few squids waiting outside as one of them has their squidphone out. She looks embarrassed when I notice her. "I...I didn't mean to interrupt...I'll...I'll just delete this!" she blurts but I inhale and pick up the three squids hanging off me, using hair tentacles and arms to keep them stable while moving us out of the elevator. I instantly regret it as the weight becomes too much, an exhale of exertion and a pain in my back my reward as I set them down.

One of my hair tentacles moves to the fan's squidphone, taking it from her and putting it in her pocket. "Don't worry about it. It's something to tell your friends," I say with a nod, the group of four squids jumping into the elevator and excitedly chatting about their exchange before the door closes. Scurry smirks up at me as she watches them go. "Your head is gonna explode if you keep acting like that."

"Marie's orders, right? I need to get used to this new lifestyle," I state while laughing as I let them go, surprised that they don't let go. "Besides, we turf war all the time. I bet inklings are lining up to splat me in vengeance," I elaborate and Callie laughs as well before snuggling me. "Assuming you can get Splat Jam to agree to not turf war you," she adds and I shake my head, turning to try and move to the street but being unable to move. "The others are gonna starve if we don't get moving-"

Marie smiles at me innocently as she maintains her grip. "What's the password?" she says timidly and I sigh happily before kissing each of them, each one letting go in turn once I give them attention. "Scurry taught you that one?" I comment as we start to walk out of the complex and down the street, Marie in step with me as we move. "Yes, through example," Marie states, putting my hand in hers as she walks along on my left. Callie and Scurry follow suit when they see Marie's move, Callie leaping on my back and Scurry taking my other hand. "Is this some...kind of competition now?" I ask shyly and Scurry taps me on the forehead gently with her other hand. "It's either all of us show affection or none of us. And since all it takes is one of us-" She looks at Callie and Marie on her right and each of them grins in return. I try to smile but all I can accomplish is grimace. _Could I really keep-_ I crush the thought immediately, not bothering to let my doubts in as I keep walking.

 _I don't want to hurt anyone...no point doubting myself...  
_

* * *

A happy sigh escapes me again as we arrive at the Fresh Emporium without incident. Marie is already releasing my hand to go get a shopping cart as we wait patiently for her to come back. "It's impolite to stare..." Callie says over my shoulder in a mock imitation of Marie's calm tone as we watch her go, my head leaning towards the noise in response. "It's impolite to do a lot of things," I retort but both of us stop when Marie does a sideways glance back our direction. _Did she hear any of that?_

We get our answer when she returns pushing the cart. "It's impolite to imitate me without my consent, Callie," she states while passing us by and entering the store, the rest of us taking the hint and following behind her. Marie is moving like a squid possessed, her stride sure and precise as she guides us to the first aisle. "If you don't know? Marie takes shopping _very_ seriously," Callie states before I feel her let go of me and watch her run off down the aisle ahead of us. Scurry already has her squidphone out and taps my right pocket, a beep indicating that she now has that list to start checking items off.

Callie immediately comes back with items we're all sure are not on the list, her hands rapidly dumping them into the cart in front of Marie as she rushes off to get more things. To her credit, she does grab the food we did need but the ratio of junk to not junk food is off. Scurry picks up a large box of cookies out of the basket and states with an amused grin to Marie, "Do we really need this much junk food?" I pick up a box of tea bags nearby before answering when Marie doesn't. "Well...if she's buying it...I guess we don't have a choice-"

"Kosh, I've been monitoring your finances and you spend a minimum of 7000 cash per week on food. Allow us to at least pay some of this back," she states out of the blue, the surprise from her statement makes my hair tentacles lose their grip and I nearly drop the tea on the ground before catching it with a free hand. "You've been watching my finances? How?"

"I keep track of what each meal you make contains and made a rough estimate on the cost to purchase the ingredients for each dish," she states while organizing the contents of the basket by category. _This is a bit much..._ Scurry looks up from her squidphone for a second to grin at Marie. "Wow, I had no idea you had a thing for him so early on. It explains why you weren't so shocked when you found us." Marie blushes and puts her face in her hands in embarrassment as I put the tea in the cart, already moving to her and trying to pull her hands away from her face. Her hands resist being moved as I sigh in amusement, my arms moving to hold her instead.

It seems to work because her hands move partially from her face, the skin of her cheeks bright lime from blushing. "It's OK...I'm glad to know that someone's looking out for me..." I whisper but Scurry immediately stops what she's doing and moves behind me to leap onto my back, biting me on the shoulder and drawing ink in protest. "Oh, and what I do isn't watching out for you!? I see how it is!" she states angrily as her teeth attach to my shoulder again, causing me to growl in pain while one of my hair tentacles pats her on the head. "I...didn't mean just her but...OK...sorry if I..." I try to say but her teeth clamp down harder, causing me to groan in further pain. "...if I may have...said something...insensitive..."

Scurry's teeth let go finally, her tongue licking the wound to seal it but the pain still lingering. "I'm just making sure you _understand_ what's at stake," she says playfully, my head nodding as she lets go of me and returns to her feet. "You just enjoy biting too much..." I groan in minor pain, rubbing my shoulder while Scurry licks her teeth to get cyan ink off them. "No, I just enjoy biting you...but you can stop me anytime you want-"

"Is that your...fetish?" Marie asks curiously and I'm not sure who she's directing the question at. "No, the teeth actually terrify me but...if it makes Scurry happy...I don't know..." I state while shrugging in emphasis, Scurry suddenly tossing me her squidphone as she tells me to switch roles with her. My hand catches the phone easily and my eyes quickly double checking the list only for me to laugh a few moments later when I see that a small portion of the groceries is entirely Callie's junk food purchases. "Marie, you're her cousin...how can Callie put away food so much and still stay so thin?"

"Much of our time is spent singing songs to fans, performing dances on stage, and spraying ink in battle. Plus, if you've noticed," she starts responding, both of us turning to watch Callie run a few circles in place before running to the next aisle, "she's...energetic." Scurry is picking up more vegetables when our eyes meet, her face grimacing as she bites the air playfully at me. I shake my head at her posturing and wonder again how I ended up here. "Let's...get the shopping done. The others are probably getting hungry by now-"

City of Color starts playing to interrupt me, my right hand going to my squidphone to answer the call. The immediate angry response from Marian makes me pull my head slightly away from the phone. "Where are you guys!? Stop taking your time and get back here! Everyone's waiting for you!"

 _Jeez, can't get a break..._


	27. Adjustments

**Chapter XII: Adjustments**

* * *

"Another show!?" I exclaim before taking a sip of lemon tea while Marie lightly chews and swallows the sushi from her plate and tells me to calm down. A groan of frustration escapes me at the suddenness but I try to get my frustration under control. _What happened to those times when dinner was without stress!?_ To Marie's right, Callie beams a smile at me from her seat that gets food on the table when it exits her mouth. "Well, I _may_ have asked the fans if they wanted us to perform again this year and they-"

"Aw, Callie...we talked about this..." I groan both for getting food on the table and for posting on social media without our consent but all she does is smile further and make a bigger mess. She does a quick swallow before turning back to the centre spread of food, continuing her quest to inhale as much food as possible. "And you should know...that...it takes me a while to adjust to new...things. Is this smoked salmon roe?" she says with her mouth full, my face smiling as more food lands on the table. _Not anymore...now it's just a mess..._ The sushi disappears into Callie's mouth along with several other foods and drinks before I give up having a conversation with her.

A hand turns my head slightly to the right and my mouth opens automatically, Scurry placing sushi into my mouth that I swiftly chew and swallow. Her face is grinning at me as she does so. "Look who's learning. I didn't even have to ask you this time," she says playfully while touching her nose to mine. My chopsticks snatch sushi off the plate in front of me and move it to Scurry's mouth in response, her mouth opening and clamping down on both sushi and chopsticks. "Scurry...you're going to ruin your teeth if you keep doing that," I whisper when she does so, trying to pull the chopsticks out of her mouth but neither of us backing down. She eventually opens her mouth with the amusement on her face mirroring my own. "And this...is why I don't feed you with my hands..." I whisper to her as she opens her mouth again, my chopsticks already grabbing another sushi and putting it into her mouth.

"Careful, Kosh. You don't want to show favouritism with the Sisters sitting right there," Sheldon says from across the table, my eyes rolling as I turn my head to regard him with a sarcastic smile. _I'm so used to seeing him in combat fatigues and goggles that it surprises me that he even owns street clothes..._ "You're the lucky one now, Sheldon. You only have to deal with one set of tentacles compared to three."

"Two pairs of tentacles...mine are too short..." Marie corrects me from across the table before sipping tea. I give a slight sigh and nod to her before turning back to Sheldon. "Two pairs of tentacles. Besides, it isn't favouritism when Callie likes to eat with her hands and Marie likes to have _some_ time away from us." Callie laughs and I frown when more food lands on the table before she swallows it and grins at me with food debris in her teeth. "That's because you haven't convinced me that you're fast enough to feed me," she exclaims with a bright smile and I look to Marie for extra input but she doesn't show any opinion and continues eating her sushi.

"Kosh? Concert?" Scurry comments with a nudge on my shoulder as I nod again. "So when is this concert happening?" I ask the Sisters and Marie pats her face with a napkin before answering. "Tomorrow at noon," she states with a mild smile, my brow raising in surprise at the suddenness. "So soon!? Sheldon, did you agree to this!?"

"You know and I know that saying no to the Sister's when they ask for help doesn't happen," he says with something akin to smugness, my surprise remaining on my face. _Wow...I've never heard Sheldon mouth off like that before..._ Drosyn smiles darkly as she continues to rub Sheldon's head with a hand even as her hair tentacles feeds them both. I cringe slightly at the sight. _A predator capturing her prey...but I haven't had the time to ask them who really captured who..._ "So what's the bit?" I ask the Sisters to change the topic, Callie giving me another evil grin with dirty teeth. "Well, if you _really_ wanna know..." she says playfully while pulling out her squidphone and browsing through it. She springs out of her seat to rush over to me, her right arm leaning me towards her phone so I can see what's on the screen. Scurry look over my right shoulder at her squidphone to see a series of polls for what squids want each act to be posted on Squidbook. Scurry laughs loudly as I continue to stare, my attention stuck on the first entry that was trending. _I'm slated to sing Maritime Memory in a solo performance as the opening act..._

My face remains neutral but my mind screams in shock. "I...don't think I can...do this..." I stutter but I'm unsure if my words come out correctly because everyone stares at me strangely. I take another drink of lemon tea but have to stop myself because my hands shaking uncontrollably. "I think...I need to lie down..." I stutter while slowly getting out of my chair and moving towards the couches, moving to the front of them and plopping into them face down. Callie's voice comes from above me a few moments later. "Overreacting much? You've already performed on stage before now and you fight in turf wars all the time! What's so different here?"

I flip myself over before responding. "But...that's different! Those are all group activities and the performance a year ago was four of us on stage! There's always the team during turf wars! I...don't think I can do this..." I flip myself back over as my mind tries to find some way out of the situation. _Nothing springs to mind._ Callie's left-hand grabs my shirt collar and pulls me into a sitting position while using my shirt to mantles over the couch to sit next to me. Her arm casually goes over my shoulders as she pulls me towards her. "That's why we have to practice tonight and tomorrow and I know just the way!"

Her squidphone is in her right hand and she points it at the TV, a few rapid button presses activating it and making rapid selections. My shock slowly transforms into grim amusement when I realize what she's doing, the TV screen now displaying a karaoke theme of swimming fishes. "Oh, no...in front of everyone?..."

"Yes, in front of everyone! You need an audience!" she giggles while simultaneously rising out of the seat and pulling me by the arm to stand in front of the TV. I let myself get pulled up with a rueful smile. Before we get to the TV, a light bulb turns on above her head as an idea strikes, her angle changing as she pulls me towards the hallway instead. "Well if you're doing this, you better do this in costume, right!?" she exclaims enthusiastically and I facepalm with my free hand, regretting that the Sisters are always three or more steps ahead as I'm pulled away.

 _Here we go again..._

* * *

A short trip to the room, a quick change of clothes, and an ample amount of embarrassment later, Callie is first out of the room and pulling me along with her. I'm slowly and timidly step outside dressed in a formal black kimono with cyan bubble patterns, my hair tied back with the same lingcod hairpiece I used a year prior. Marie and Scurry are on the couches and turn to regard me, Marie beginning to chuckle to herself while Scurry whistling at me. "Wow! That brings out your inner girl, doesn't it!?"

"He's embarrassed enough, Scurry. Don't make him more scared than he already is," Marie retorts from her seat, giving me a gentle nod and a smile. My confidence slightly boosts at her praise and I start to move with a little more grace. Scurry just grins and puts her hands behind her head while turning towards the TV. I get a quick glance over to the table and see that every squid in the penthouse is present. My eyes find Whinter who gives me a wide grin and a thumbs up with his right hand, Clementine sitting next to him doing the same. Everyone else catches on and does similar gestures of approval, trying their best to be comforting. _Well, if everyone thinks I can do this...I can do this..._

I move my arm out of Callie's grip lightly and move as gracefully as possible to stand in front of the TV as Callie rushes to take her seat with Marie and Scurry. "Are you ready, Kosh?" Marie asks me with a smile and I do a quick twirl to make sure that my outfit is secured. "As I'll ever be...let's do this," I say grimly and without preamble, Marie hits the play button on her squidphone to initiate Maritime Memory. I close my eyes for the initial intro loop, exhaling lightly to calm myself. _I've seen the Sisters perform this...I can do this..._

My hands lock together over my chest as I start to sing, my eyes remaining closed for the first few seconds as I sing the lyrics of two squids. When I do open my eyes and start to move in gentle sweeps, I feel that something is missing from the performance and soon realize what it is. _My heart needs to be into it...I need to feel the music..._ It doesn't click in my head immediately but after a few seconds, I stop performing from memory and start performing of my own accord, using my best judgement to move to the tunes instead of repeating what I've seen. The mood in the room seems to lighten but not as much as I would like. _There's something still missing...  
_

I don't get to learn what it is because the music reaches its sombre end, my right arm raising smoothly to beckon the audience with finality. I realize that I'm sweating from nervousness but resist the urge to wipe the sweat away as gentle applause sounds. "That was...very good, actually. You still have a knack for copying our dances and singing," Marie comments with a nod, Scurry grinning at me while shaking her head. "That was beginner's luck. Let's make him do it again," she states in amusement and Marie looks at me calmly with her squidphone out. A look of surprise crosses my face when I see that she intends to make me do just that, my body trying to rapidly relax and move back into the starting position as she presses the play button.

 _This seems familiar..._

* * *

The practice only lasts a half hour due to the next surprise, gentle applause ending and Callie smiling at me wickedly. "Now it's time for the next step! Bring in the next contestant!" she exclaims as she points towards the hallway, my head turning to where she's pointing to see Whinter being pushed forward by a grinning Clementine. He's already wearing a similar black kimono to mine but with a dark blue wave pattern on it, his hair already tied with his signature tuna fish hairpin. I'm about to give him space to perform when Scurry holds up a hand for me to stop. "Oh no, you aren't going anywhere, Kosh. The second vote was for you and Whinter to perform Ink Me Up together so hop to it!" she gloats with a grin while clapping her hands twice.

I'm already aware of how difficult Ink Me Up is in concept, the song requiring more body movement and enthusiasm. A quick look at Whinter tells me that he isn't quite ready and is just as surprised to be performing as I was earlier. I hold up a hand before Marie can press play and she gives me a confused look as I go to Whinter and put my hands on his shoulders. I ask him if he's ready to perform and feel him slightly shaking and sweating profusely where I touch him. "No...no, I'm not ready for this..." he stutters and I can't help but feel bad for him. _I think we both thought that last year was a one-time thing..._

I give him a weak smile and gesture to the others. "I'm not ready either...but they think we're ready...let's prove them right..." I whisper with a few pats on his shoulder. I don't expect it to have any effect but his courage rises swiftly to his face and a toothy grin displays proudly after my gesture. "Yeah...we can't let the Squid Sisters down, right?" he says enthusiastically as we both move to our positions, my head already nodding in agreement as we stand in front of the screen.

Marie has other ideas as she nods our direction. "One more detail you both need to know. Your kimono have velcro below the knees. Take off the lower part of the kimonos before you begin," Marie commands as we do as we're told, finding the velcro hidden seamlessly in the lower half of the kimono's and pulling. The velcro detaches and shortens the leg length of the kimonos to just above the knees, Scurry and Callie whistling at us with broad smiles on their faces to our growing embarrassment. _That makes it easier to move...I just wish it wasn't so showy..._

"We aren't going to..." I start to say when I notice Marie giving me a nod of approval, her face smiling gently as she holds up her squidphone and presses play to bring Ink Me Up up to speed. Whinter stumbles at first in keeping up with the dance and the lyrics but learns quickly and I take it upon myself to perform Callie's audio since it had the most lyrics. With the shortened leg length, it's much easier to move around in but the looks were getting from the audience make me uncomfortable. _We're in mini-skirts dancing in front of everyone we know...this is the second time this has happened..._

Despite the scrutiny and snickers from the audience, I can tell that Whinter and I are starting to enjoy ourselves but the music ends abruptly before we even realize the show is over, both of us confused and rapidly moving to the rushed finishing poses. More applause greets us and we're both of us breathing hard from exertion and excitement. "How long...does this...go for...?" I huff out as I relax and put my hands on my knees, my breath slowing as we right ourselves and flex. Marie gently moves from her seat and moves towards the hallway. "The show is a four-set performance so let me get changed first. Take a moment to rest before we continue," she states as she moves away. I give one last exhale of exhaustion before moving to the couches and planting myself onto it with a gasp. Callie is gathering the lower half of my kimono and reattaching it to me with a grin. "Are you performing at all, Callie?" I ask her and she shakes her head, her grin not leaving her face. "I'm in the last set. The fans chose Calamari Inkantation for that but before we get there, they want to see Tide Goes Out."

She brushes my leg playfully before I stop her hand, Scurry chuckling from her seat on my right when I blush. _Marie is doing her own solo number...that seems fitting..._ As if summoned by my thoughts, Marie glides into the room in her own black kimono with green slash patterns and Callie moves to sit to my right and nudge me playfully in the side with an elbow. "Are you forgetting something? You're part of her performance so get over there!" My face grimaces as I look at her, partly exhausted and partly confused. "I have to perform in every set?"

"Yes, Kosh. We ran the poll three separate times and the results keep ending up the same," Marie comments calmly as she takes her position and beckons me to stand up with a hand. I grunt slightly as I get up again, still a little stiff but able to move towards Marie. "So you've been running this poll for the past few weeks? How did you keep this under the radar from us?" I ask but as I look around the room, looks of embarrassment form on everyone's faces and I let out a brief laugh and get into position. "We're performing the song three times and swapping between who's singing. We'll join back together at the last set so just follow my lead," Marie says with a smile, my confidence soaring despite my nervousness. _I'm **much** more comfortable with this format. _I give her a sarcastic yes ma'am but a thought occurs to me as we get ready to perform. "Wait a minute...is this for...Splatfest again?!" I ask and Marie's nods, my mind cursing myself for not keeping up with media.

Scurry grins at us as she presses the play button on her squidphone, Tide Goes Out playing smoothly as I try to relax. What surprises me about this performance is the lights dimming in the room, spotlights deploying gently from a roof panel to shine on whoever is performing and making the song surprisingly formal. It also had the effect of making me more nervous as I gently follow Marie's movements, Marie singing the first song set with a practised grace and moving towards the audiences slowly before gesturing to me gently at the finish. The performance has a hint of romance as I slowly move to stand next to her, my movements and singing slow as I get close enough to gently hold hands. Acting the part, I hold the hands only for a moment before releasing them and stepping forward towards the audience, Marie thematically left behind.

She, in turn, moves to stand side by side with me, the last part of the song having us sing in unison as the two spotlights join on one point. My right hand enters her left as we harmonize our singing and movement, the song quickly finishing with us gently raising our free hand's palm forward towards the crowd. More applause sounds in the dark as the team congratulates us and the lights turn on again. "Well, that was something but now for the finale!" Callie giggles from the hallway, already dressed in her idol outfit with hairpin with Whinter now dressed similarly to his embarrassment.

"So I'm wearing the same outfit throughout the entire performance?" I ask her but Marie is the one who answers by giving my bottom half of my kimono a yank, my body jumping slightly at the sudden move. I turn around in confusion but see her doing the same to her kimono, the outfit now matching mine. I hear someone whistle from the audience and turn to see Scurry with a wide grin on her face. "Someone's getting excited. You two keep that up and we'll have to call the practice here so you two can-"

Callie interjects from the hallway by shoving Whinter into position and taking her own position quickly, Marie and I moving into our positions to try and stop the train of thought before it can continue. Scurry shrugs with a smile when she sees my embarrassed face, seeming to enjoy making us feel uncomfortable as she presses play again. The lights dim slowly above us and pulse in time with the rhythm, the colours swapping between the four were dressed in as Callie and Marie start off the song from the front. Whinter and I follow their dancing a step behind them, Whinter behind Marie as I dance behind Callie in silence while trying to look excited. _I have to admit, this is pretty exciting._

The atmosphere becomes more energetic when a disco ball descends from the ceiling, lighting up the living room with white and coloured balls of radiance. _I didn't know half of these props existed until today!_ Though distracted by the lights and the music, I try my best to focus on Callie dancing in front of me and prepare for the first set to end. The set ends sooner than expected, the song starting its repeat and catching me off guard as the second set begins. I stumble slightly to keep up as Whinter and I jump into the lyrics, my voice loud and clear to sing along with Callie as Whinter sings along with Marie. Even the dances catch me off guard, Callie moving away and forcing me to follow as we pair off, Marie and Whinter in one pair and Callie and I in the other. Both of the pairings are facing each other while still dancing and singing.

Though the performance itself isn't difficult, the non-stop performing starts to take its toll and my body start to make mistakes before we finally finish. I let out a gentle gasp as I place one hand on my hip and move the other hand to display the signature L above my head with the rest. The silence after is scary in its intensity but doesn't last long as enthusiastic applause soon fills the void, the lights brightening back to normal levels and the props returning to their places as I relax a fraction. _We did it...for now..._ I see Sheldon working on his squidphone and Drosyn looking down at his work, his gaze eventually meeting mine with an embarrassed smile. "I'm just recording all of the modifications I need to do for the truck. I'm sorry if I was rude and-"

"You sure you have that under control? I mean...do you need any more help?" I interrupt before exhaling and moving back to the couches to sit down with a thump. _Zapfish, I'm tired...and that was just the first practice..._ I look up to see Drosyn smiling darkly at me and rubbing Sheldon's head but he doesn't seem concerned. "It's OK. We have it under control. You worry about the performance and we'll worry about the tech side of things, OK?" he says with a smile and a thumbs up, my head nodding idly as I let my body unwind on the couch. Scurry taps me on the left shoulder and points towards the hallway with a smile, my head nodding lightly as I tell everyone goodnight and start heading towards our room. Callie and Marie follow us as we depart and I have to put an arm over Scurries shoulder when my legs start to get tired. Her next words make me shiver slightly from dread.

"Don't think you can rest just yet...this night's just getting started..."


	28. Storm Front

**Chapter XIII: Storm Front**

* * *

My body feels sticky and heavy when I finally open my eyes, my mind fuzzy and my vision not in focus as I try to remember where I am. _What happened last night?..._ My eyes blink a few times before closing again, my bodies dryness making it difficult to keep them open as I try to sit up. A weight is on my chest and I put my hands on it, my face slowly smiling as it brushes skin and I hear Scurry mumble something in her sleep. _There's a clue...but did she really wear me out so badly?_ I try to open my eyes again and this time, I can see the ceiling of the room and orient myself with my surroundings. Remove my hands from Scurry to start lightly pulling myself back but my hands brush against more skin, Callie saying something about pastry from my left and Marie exhaling gently from my right. _So it was all three of them...what did they do to me that I don't remember?_

I ignore my confusion for a moment and use my hands to pull myself towards the head of the bed but Scurry wakes up with her face in my crotch, my body freezing as she lazily opens her eyes and grimaces. "Jeez, Kosh...at least wake me up first if you want that..." she whispers as she tries to attach herself to me, my hands keeping her from doing anything as I try to explain. "I'm trying to get outta bed-" I whisper roughly but I can't stop her, losing my ability to talk when she starts licking my legs and slowly moves to my crotch. "Scurry...Callie and Marie are-"

"Then you better keep your voice down..." she whispers with a wicked smile before continuing, my face wincing as she moves high enough to put my crotch into her mouth. I try my best not to make any noise, covering my mouth with a hand while the other rubs Scurry's hair tentacles but she does her best to make me with her attention. "Scurry...wai-" I start to whisper before putting the hand back to my mouth and humming when I feel my ink leave my body. My body feels drained as Scurry absorbs the ink into her mouth and detaches herself from me but she isn't done. "Now that I warmed you up, let me take care of the rest," she whispers as she climbs on top of me, any protest I can make rendered moot as she connects us.

I feel the others stir around me because my arms fall limply to my sides, Scurry and I rapidly breathing and making too much noise as she moves on top of me. _Now I remember what happened...they ganged up on me._ "Scurry...didn't you have enough of his affection yesterday?" Marie groans quietly from my right but Scurry isn't paying attention, her hands moving mine to her chest as she continues to move her hips. At such a rapid pace, it only takes moments for me to feel more ink squirt out of my body as Scurry gasps from the same feeling. My head leans to the left side as exhaustion hits hard, my eyes closing as I feel the urge to sleep take hold.

Scurry is already moving to lay on top of me and lean my head back towards her, her mouth pressing against mine to deposit the ink she just sucked out of me back into my body. She had learned how to control the flow so that it didn't choke me and I gently swallow the ink, feeling enough energy return to me to move my arms weakly around her. We start kissing before I can comprehend whats going on but Callie interrupts us with a giggle. "Keep it together, Kosh. We have places to be today," she whispers as I try to break away from the kiss, only accomplishing the task after Scurry has had enough affection. "That's gross...your mouth was just on my crotch-"

"Get over it..." Scurry whispers as she kisses me again but starts to move off me to sit at the front of the bed. I have enough energy to sit up against the far wall and when I spot Scurry, something about her posture makes me uneasy. _Gotta go around...I don't want to go through that again..._ The blankets are multi-coloured with ink stains now that I'm able to notice and I groan quietly at having a new layer of sweat on my body _,_ making me feel more sticky than before. I decide to go past Marie since she looked the least threatening, lightly lifting her by the shoulders so that I can squeeze past her.

I breathe a quiet sigh of relief that she's playing along but nearly leap out of my skin when her hand grabs mine as I sit on the edge of the bed, my body rotating around quickly to see her staring at me with a neutral expression. "Where are you going?" she whispers to me playfully, another sigh of relief escaping me that she's asking a normal question. "I'm just getting drinks...I won't be long..." I whisper back, moving off the bed and turning around to crouch down and kiss her on the lips, her face blushing and smiling as she gets comfortable again. "Good answer..." she whispers and I give her a brief hug before heading for the hallway, a quick trip and auto door hissing open and closed the only sounds I make on exit.

 _The living room lights are on._.. _Who could be up at this hour?...What time is it anyway?  
_

* * *

Drosyn and Sheldon jump when they see me walking past, my hand waving lazily in greeting as I head for the fridge and open the doors with a yawn. "Is there a reason your...you know what? Never mind..." Sheldon whispers from the couch as I pour myself a cup of milk tea, gulping it down and exhaling theatrically at being rehydrated. _That feels **much** better._ "Sorry...there was the whole dancing thing...and the sharing ink thing...what time is it anyway?" I slur with a yawn, shaking my head as I pour myself another cup of tea. _Zapfish, I'm tired...I really **really** need to learn how to say no._ If Sheldon or Drosyn answered my first question, I'm didn't hear the answer because I immediately ask another question. "What are you guys doing up anyway?"

Sheldon gives me a grim look as I approach the couches, his expression telling me it's bad news and that he's questioning whether he should tell me or not. He seems to come to a decision and look to the hallway to see if anyone else is approaching before speaking. "We got another message out of Octaria. Military, High Command signal." _A military high command transmission? Those are usually encrypted beyond our means to break into._ I smile as plant myself on a couch with a ruffle of cushions but still try to stay focused. "You finally find a way to crack their encryption?" I whisper with a sigh as I flex further on the couch but when I notice them staring at me in embarrassment, I put a cushion over my crotch and say a quick sorry for being naked. Sheldon clears his throat before continuing. " _This_ message wasn't encrypted. We got this from a helmet cam feed." My face moved to puzzled as I take a sip of my milk tea. "A helmet cam? From who?"

"I don't know if I should show you or not...the original plan was to present this after the opening ceremony and the Splatfest's opening turf war-" _Aw man, today's going to be exhausting._ My head leans back and a sigh escaping my throat as I hear the news, shaking my head a few seconds later to bring my focus back to the original conversation. "Don't hold me in suspense...but it's your call..." I whisper while reaching for a squidphone that isn't there, chuckling to myself at not wearing pants. _Well...all fairness since I've already seen both of them naked._ Sheldon stares at me for a second, uncertain of what to do until he comes to another decision and turns towards the TV, pointing his squidphone at it and pressing play.

The face of a regal octoling with black hair tentacles in combat fatigues is shown on a shaky and fuzzy recording, the sound of ink guns spraying all around. I sit up straight at the hushed sounds of battle and my body tenses in response. A voice starts to break through the noise, the regal figure speaking to the camera. "This is Lady Flurry contacting the Octarian Liberation Splatoon. My citadel has been overrun by unknown forces and I am currently on the run-" _The camera is attached to someone's helmet...a bodyguard?_ The camera shakes as the one recording yells for her to get down, a Splat Charger raising into view to spray at something in the distance, purple ink flying outwards and black ink sprays returning.

The camera whirls as the one recording the message is splatted, black and purple ink splashing across the camera lens. Someone picks up the camera and the view whirls, catching a fleeting view of black doppelgangers fighting with other octarians through the gaps in the ink. _Black ink colour? That's extremely rare..._ The one holding the camera is running away from the battle but the octarians stay behind to fight. Sadly, the octarians are clearly outnumbered and the doppelgangers swarm through their minor resistance with showers of black and purple ink marking the end of the octarian's resistance. The camera is brought back up to the face of the figure as she runs, her face now covered in hissing black ink. "All octarian positions under my command are compromised by these monsters. Please, I know we've had our difference but I beg you, save who you can of my octarians. These things, they take no prisoners and-"

The sound of ink sprays nearby causes her to drop the camera, the image whirling around to face the dirt as the sound of ink sprays fills the air. I wait tensely and after a tense few seconds, the camera is picked up again by the same figure now coated in black ink and gritting her teeth against the pain. "You have to resist them. I know you can. You've already shown you can. Please, please help them-" The last thing I see is purple tears in the figures eyes as the image cuts out with a loud popping sound, likely a secondary going off nearby. I sit there motionless as Sheldon turns off the TV with a sigh. "All of our comm channels went haywire with the distress signal she transmitted...we were working on the truck modifications at the time and we didn't have time to get permission from Marie...we only brought back two..."

"Who!?" I ask Sheldon with concern, his face grim as he explains. "The one from the image...she was heavily burned from black ink but she's alive. The other one died before we could get her proper medical attention..." My body sits back in the chair as a mix of emotions swarm me. _They're the enemy...but something else got to them...what's happening in Octaria?_ "How did you get the camera feed?" I ask further as I try to fill in the gaps of information, Sheldon fidgeting from his seat in Drosyn's lap. "It was...it was what she held onto when we recovered them...the other octarian...she dove on top of her to make it look like she was dead..." I hold up a hand for Sheldon to stop, more for him than me. _This is for another day, not today...I shouldn't have asked..._ "Thanks, Sheldon. I won't tell anyone till the time comes. Where's this octoling now?"

"In the trucks changing room in my garage. We didn't think to move her yet..." he whispers and I nod once in understanding. _The truck has external locks as well as internal...security purposes..._ I'm well aware that I have no authority over Sheldon but still made my demand. "I want to talk to her," I state with conviction, my face still neutral but firm and to my surprise, Sheldon smiles to himself and looks up at Drosyn. "See? I told you he'd ask that when he finds out." Drosyn smiles at me and tells me the plan. "We will accompany you in case she becomes...agitated...but first, you might consider clothes..."

 _Oh right...I'm naked still._ I casually rise off the couch with a sigh and a smile, going back to the fridge to get the other drinks for the waiting squids in our room and swiftly going for the hallway. I whisper over my shoulder to Sheldon and Drosyn on the way back to my room with drinks in hand.

"I'll be back in a second."

* * *

Everyone is asleep again when I start depositing drinks in the rooms mini fridge, a recent purchase that Marie had approved since all of the sharing ink requires refreshments closer at hand. I move as quietly as possible in the room, not wanting to wake anyone as I finish with the fridge and go for the closet. I groan to myself quietly at the mess in the closet, the Sister's clothing in piles on the floor along with random objects but also containing my shirt and shorts. _I'd assumed at least Marie kept things clean...apparently not..._ I check through a few shirts and short looking for clean ones until I find some, my nose sniffing them to find the least offensive smell. Finding one that smelled the least, I slip it on and turn back to the auto doors and nod to myself at the clean floors. _At least the floors are clean...I wouldn't be able to move quietly otherwise._

The door opens quietly and I nod to Sheldon and Drosyn who are in the hallway, all of us now heading towards the main door. None of us speaks along the trip, the elevator ride and the walk down the streets to the Galleria done in complete silence. I start to appreciate whats happening as we get closer to our destination. _Sheldon's can get us in with little hassle...he does own his own store..._ "How is business anyways?" I ask Sheldon idly and he responds with a nervous chuckle. "With me being one of the only weapon shops in Inkopolis Square? Booming," he says with a grin as we approach Ammo Knights, his squidphone already pressing a button to lift the metal shutters so we can enter. I still look around curiously at whats in stock, smiling to myself that I have such enthusiasm for ink guns. _Of course, business is booming...it's where the cash for our weapon and armour R &D is coming from._

Drosyn guides me through the store to the backroom, Sheldon already closing the front metal shutters and unlocking the back door with his squidphone as we access the garage where he stashes the truck. The room had enough weapons under lock and key to arm every citizen of Inkopolis ten times over, boxes and crates filled with ink based hardware piled to the ceiling locked behind metal cages and ink tanks of various sizes and shapes hung on the walls in multiple rows. Companies all over Inkopolis put an insane amount of faith in Sheldon's company, allowing him to be one of the few sales squids able to sell ink guns.

Sheldon and Drosyn are already at the trucks side door as I catch up to them, waiting for me to arrive with smiles on their faces as I break from my reverie. The smiles don't last as I approach, their faces changing to concern and discipline in a heartbeat. "We'll be outside ready to assist in case something goes wrong. So far, she hasn't moved much and has eaten the food given to her. She might be calm...or she might be waiting for a way out. Be careful in there." Drosyn states as Sheldon gives me a nod before tapping Drosyn's hand, her head nodding as she opens the door. I quickly run into the room and the door closes behind me with the sound of locks engaging.

 _Right into the lion's den..._

* * *

The octoling from the camera is laying casually on one of the couches in dirty combat fatigues stained with black ink, her eyes closed until I enter. Her posture rapidly changes into a sitting position as she regards me with eyes of deep purple, a grimace on her face. "I've seen your face before...field reports of a mass murderer...you are the one that leads the O.L.S.?"

"No, but I know who does. I came here to talk," I say as gently as I can but her dark laughter fills the confined space as she rises to her feet, her height a good head taller than me. "And what makes you think I'll speak to you when I'm treated like a prisoner? Are we not mortal enemies? Was your goal not to remove me from leadership?" she growls at me, forcing me to lean my back against the far wall and shake my head, unsure of how to proceed. _She knows...she **was** our mortal enemy for a while but the situation has changed...I don't understand what's happening now..._ "We...don't know what's going on anymore. That recording we found-"

Her face twists in rage at the mention of the recording. "A recording you pried off of one of my dead sisters! The sister you failed to save!" she shouts and in a heartbeat, she surges forward and slams me against the wall, lifting me off the ground and pinning my arms with hair tentacles and strong limbs. Her face growls into mine with teeth bared. "How dare you use that as leverage! Tell me why I shouldn't strangle you here and now!" she shouts into my face, her free hair tentacles rising in aggression. I remain calm in the face of her anger, understanding a little why she's mad. _She called me a mass murderer...she's right in that regard...I can relate to her anger..._

"Look, I don't know the full situation...it's why I'm asking you now. What is going on?" I ask evenly with her hand around my throat, staring her down to see what she would do. She surprises me by giving me an evil grin as she growls and relaxing her grip a fraction but not letting me touch the floor. "You think I'm a fool? I know about the spawn points of this city. You can't die here but I can." I let out a sigh of frustration at facing someone who knew so much, shaking my head and smiling despite the risk to my life. "OK...so why are we doing this again?"

"I can tell your motives just by your presence alone. You are as heartless as they say you are and I have nothing to give you," she growls in response, releasing her grip and moving back to lay down on the couch as I plop to the floor. I shrug as I get up, turning around to hammer a fist twice into the door out and taking a step out of the way as it opens. The octolings snaps to attention, her eyes moving between me and the exit as I sigh again. "If you have nothing to offer us, you don't have to stay here. You can just leave." _This is against protocol since Marie has to give the command for her release-_

She moves like a blur, darting out the door into the gun sights of Drosyn and Sheldon who both have their signature weapons in their hands. "Let her go," I say grimly to them before they can fire, both of them giving me a look of concern before slowly lowering their ink guns. Sheldon reluctantly goes for his squidphone and presses the codes to open the garage, the octoling darting out of the opening down the street. "Why are we letting her go, Kosh?" Drosyn asks me, Splat charger still held in her right hand as she eyes me.

I shake my head and sigh as I try to explain. "We aren't jailers. She wanted our help but if she views us as enemies, there's no point in forcing information out of her. She knows where we are now so we'll see if she comes back," I state grimly as I go back inside the truck's room and sit down on the couch, sighing to myself in frustration and confused beyond measure. _I'm not even sure letting her go is the right move...I should've waited for Marie or another squid to ask questions..._ _Too late now_...

It takes me a few seconds to realize that there's something damp underneath me that's stinging me slightly, a hand moving to touch the damp spot and a groan of pain escaping me as I see purple ink eating into my hand. Shock appears on my face as I look along the floor, seeing a faint path of ink leading out of the truck. My feet carry me swiftly out of the room to see the path of purple leading out of the garage. "She's leaking ink...we gotta find her. Now." I exclaim, already following the path of purple ink at a run. Drosyn is a step behind me with Sheldon as we move out of the garage door, Sheldon shutting it behind us with his squidphone as we rush down the street.

 _We gotta find her before she loses too much ink!_

* * *

The path is easy to follow through the sparsely populated streets and is worryingly increasing in stain size as we progress, all of us rushing to follow it. _The path is leading us to the spawn point._ "I thought you said you put her in the emergency ink bath!" I shout as we run, Sheldon shouting forward at my back. "I did! I think her combat fatigues might be ink proof though and I put her in with her clothes on!" Sheldon shouts from my right, Drosyn keeping pace with me as I curse myself for overlooking the minor detail. _Her uniform was hiding other wounds._

When we reach the spawn point, _a_ small crowd of citizens is gathering around someone who is desperately using one arm to crawl towards the spawn point and recognize it as our octoling, her other hand clutching her stomach as one hand pulls the ground. The citizens are asking if she needs help or try to assist her but she actively refuses, stubbornly attacking anyone that tries to touch her with her hair tentacles. "O.L.S. business. Make a path," I shout to the citizens, their eyes locking on me as they immediately move out of my way when they notice the three of us. Flurry is still trying to crawl towards the spawn point when she notices my shadow falling on her, flipping herself over with an angry expression on her face. "You...you knew I wouldn't make it...you released me as an example to die in front of your citizens..."

"Now you're just being paranoid! I had no idea you were leaking ink!" I shout at her, reaching down to pick her up. A punch hits me in the face but the blow is too weak for it to hurt and her struggles start to become weaker as I put her over my shoulders. "Where...where are you taking...me?"

"Back to the truck to the emergency ink bath. You can leave when you aren't leaking ink," I state firmly, quickly turning around and sprinting back the way we came knowing that time is now a critical factor. The octoling's breathing becomes more raged in my ears and suddenly ceases altogether, my response to pour on the speed.

 _She may be my enemy but no one deserves to die like this!_

* * *

I slide underneath the opening garage door and sprint into the room of the truck, the door still open because I hadn't bothered to close when we left. My hand grabs my squidphone as I cross the room, slapping it against the scanner on the far wall to initiate a quick code transfer. Part of the floor to opens up, an ink tub rising up from the opening as I set the octoling down and move to undo her combat fatigues. Her eyes snap open when I touch her, her hands moving to strike me again but still too weak to do so. "You would...dare...defile me in...such a state!?" she weakly growls as I give up and rip her jacket off. "Look! I'm trying to keep you from leaking inks! Cooperation would be _really_ nice right about now!" I shout as I throw finesse out the window, my hands now tearing her outfit off as fast as possible as my eyes immediately notice the gaping wounds on her stomach and on her right leg. Her breathing starts to become shallow when her wounds are exposed to the air and I move one of her hands to the bath fixture, a chime sound followed by a hiss of ink as the tub fills. Before the tub is even filled, I pick her up gently and place her in the tub to the light displacement of ink.

It doesn't take long for the wounds to start closing, her eyes closing as she sighs and floats in the ink while I breathe a sigh of relief. _She's gonna be OK-_ As soon as her wounds close, I hear the displacing of ink again and see her surge out of the tub, her flight driving me to the ground with a hand around my throat as her hair tentacles rise threateningly behind her. Her other hand is held like a blade, fingers ready to jab forward and pierce skin as she breaths hard in rage. "You. You think I owe you now!? I owe you nothing!"

 _I've had enough of this!_ My anger surfaces and I let it in, a feral snarl on my lips as my feet move to her stomach and push upwards and backwards, sending her sailing behind me. I roll to my feet and turn swiftly, rushing forward to spin the octoling along the ground and pick her up by the hands to slam her into the nearest wall with as much force as I can manage. A sharp gasp escapes her as I pin her there with my hands and hair tentacles, my teeth barred as I growl into her face while trying to fight the urge to knock her senseless for her arrogance. It's no surprise that my rage is mirrored on her face but slowly, her face changes to one of resignation as she looks away. "So you've overpowered me...fine...do what you will with me...it matters not..." she growls, her eyes closing in resignation as she seems to diminish in stature.

Painful seconds of confrontation persist, my rage building and cooling in equal measures until I can drive it back and release my grip, the octoling sliding along the wall until she touched the floor. My breathing is hard until as I can cage my aggression and my skin crawls at how close I'd gotten to attacking. _This anger is dangerous...I'll need to talk with the others about this._ Flurry has a dazed expression on her face but still stares with hostility towards me. "So you want me to service you myself!? You are a wicked inkling that deserves-"

"ENOUGH!" I shout at her, my anger barely held in check as I feel my hair start to rise again and my teeth lock together in anger again. I'm surprised to see a look of fear in her eyes beneath the disdain. "I'm not even attempting any of that! I'm trying to _help_ you! No conditions, no attachments, no servitude!" I shout as my fists start to shake intensely. I turn it inwards on itself, using my own growing aggression to throttle the anger down viciously and the shaking disappearing immediately. _I've had enough of this nonsense...I can control this..._ "I'm going to let you cool down. We'll get your clothes fixed and back to you as soon as we can. Once you're healthy again, we'll let you leave on your own and that's where it ends," I state firmly, stiffly walking to her torn clothes and gathering them in my left arm. I try to get my breathing under control as I move out of the door, Sheldon and Drosyn standing in the doorway with ink guns ready to spray as my right-hand lowers both of their weapons. "Sheldon, you have storefront access, right?" I groan with an exhale while closing the door behind me gently, my body feeling worn out from all the anger.

"I know what your thinking, Kosh, and my answer is no. We'll just fix the clothes in my workshop instead," he quickly blurts and I smile at Sheldon for always being well prepared. "So where do I put these?" I ask him as I hold up the torn fatigues, his fingers pointing at a nearby workbench that I start moving towards. "I thought you couldn't fix clothes, Sheldon," I state as I move towards the bench which is covered in the workings of a Splattershot, my head turning back to him for confirmation. Sheldon is only a step behind and simply pushes the parts to the leftmost side of the counter space while gesturing for me to put the clothes down. The torn outfit goes in the now cleared spot and I turn around wondering where Drosyn went. _She doesn't usually let Sheldon move about on his own.  
_

Drosyn is heading towards a group of tool storage's that she starts searching through as soon as she gets to them. Sheldon interrupts my train of thought by answering my previous question. "I can't fix clothing very well but Drosyn can. She has a _lot_ of skill sets that I barely know about!" he says with admiration. Drosyn chuckles to herself as she finds materials but soon responds to Sheldon's statements from across the room. "Octolings are taught to be self-sufficient and each sister has skills in rudimentary gear and weapon repair. Being a black octoling, my skills are on a similar level to an intermediate seamstress in Inkopolis culture," she states calmly while rapidly pulls open drawers and cabinets. She stops in her search to turn towards us to ask a question. "Sheldon dear, where do you keep spare cloth material?" I laugh aloud when I hear the statement, Sheldon blushing beside me and lowering his head in embarrassment. "Dear? Really? Wow, Sheldon."

"Check the bottom right drawers..." he stutters to her, Drosyn continuing her search as Sheldon lowers his voice. "I haven't been able to make her stop calling me that since we...shared a bed together," he whispers but Drosyn finishes her search quickly and strolls over to us with materials in hand. Like Sheldon, she dumps the cloth pieces and sewing gear on the table without order and quickly goes through the materials until she finds the right pieces. "It is octarian culture that if a male squid courts an octoling female, they are officially a couple and are treated as such. I am to treat him with all due respect and he must do so in kind," she comments as she starts to sew, my head shaking as Sheldon remains embarrassed. _He keeps forgetting that their hearing is better than ours._ "Is there anything in the culture that can reduce the amount of embarrassment I feel..." Sheldon whispers mostly to himself while blushing heavily behind the hands on his face. Drosyn smiles as she starts to clean off the black ink and sew on new material. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, dear. You were quite skilled in courting me...more than I had anticipated from someone your size." My face blushes at the mention of them sharing ink and I move away from the bench, both of them looking at me in confusion as I back up towards the garage door with grin of embarrassment.

"I'll...leave you guys alone...and stuff..."


	29. True Lies

**Chapter XIV: True Lies  
**

* * *

As soon as I step into the front door of the penthouse, three angry squids are staring me down with arms crossed. "So...what excuse do you have?" Callie whispers threateningly with a grim smile as Scurry growl at me through her teeth and Marie stares at me with a neutral but stern expression. "Sheldon asked me to help him with the truck and I usually don't say no to him," I whisper defensively, checking my squidphone for the time and chuckling to myself when I see it. "It's only been an hour," I explain with a grim smile but they approach me with a mix of acceptance and threat, forcing me to say more. "I'm sorry if I didn't text you guys but I kinda had my hands full of parts and grease," I blurt while showing them my hands, grease stains liberally painted on them. _It was an accident but I do have these..._ "And if you don't mind? I'd very much like to get the grease off my skin."

They look at each other clearly not believing my story but let me pass, for now, my movements nervous as I go to the kitchen and deposit my hands into the sink to wash off the grease. _I have a plan in case something like this happens._ "Right...where do I begin...?" I whisper to myself as I turn around, not surprised that the three angry squids had followed my movements and are still glowering at me. I put my plan into action by springing at Scurry and kissing her on the lips but not using my tongue until I'm sure she isn't going to bite it off. The signal of safety is when her tongue enters my mouth and the intensity of my apology increasing as we pull each other closer. My hands and hair tentacles rub the usual places on her head and back as I try to calm her down and her mood immediately shifts from hostile to happy as I pull away, a wide grin on her face as she uses her tongue to lick the cyan ink off our chins playfully.

I lean in close to her ear and gently whisper what my plan is, her grin widening as she shoves me away playfully and both of us turning to Callie. "Oh, don't even think I'll-" she starts to say as she backs up but my arms wrap around her body before she can move, my lips meeting hers in an instant. Despite her initial protests, she quickly changes her mind and does the same to me and ups the intensity with her tongue and arm strength. She nearly gags me with her tongue when she moves it dangerously close to my throat as her arms crush my neck until I'm forced to push her gently away. She gives me a happy sigh and hugs me tightly before saying, "I...I can live with that..."

I whisper my plan to her as well, her response to giggle and turn me swiftly around to give me a hard push into Marie that knocks us both down. We land on the floor with a thud, Marie blushing brightly because I landed on top of her. "Kosh...right...right here? Can't we wait until-" she whispers and I pick myself up off her while pulling her up by the arms into a sitting position before she can finish her thought. "That...wasn't my plan..." I whisper embarrassed, her closeness making me blush as Scurry slaps me hard on the back out of nowhere. "Get on with it, love," she whispers but my head turns to regard Scurry with a look of disapproval on my face as I gesture at Marie with both hands. _Can't she see she's ruining the moment?_

When I turn back, however, Marie is already seizing my head with her hands and bringing me into a kiss, my eyes closing as she shows me affection instead. Unlike my spontaneous affection, her methods are slow and comforting but I feel my body respond to her touch. Before I can give in to the urge to ask her for more, she pulls herself back from me and I try to hide my disappointment. "So you...you did want to..." she whispers, moving her hands to the bottom of her shirt before my hands can stop her. "I...I do...but not right now...things to do right...?" She gives me a warm hug and I return it in kind, something stirring inside me that I can't describe. _Maybe this is what Callie and Scurry feel like when I do this...this disarming vulnerability..._ "It's OK, Kosh...I won't make you do anything you don't want to do..." Marie whispers to me while brushing my hair tentacles with a hand, a smile on my face as I continue to blush. "Hey...that's my line..."

Hands move us to our feet as Callie and Scurry break up the moment, both of them smiling with a hint of jealousy. "Break it up, lovers. We have places to be, remember?" Scurry whispers to us as she moves close to me on our way down the hallway. I hear her sniff and cough before pushing me further down the hallway and storming forward to wrap her arms around my neck. "You need a bath and I need a bath. We agree to this plan?" she whispers into my ear while licking my face gently in emphasis. "I thought this isn't a competition..." I whisper back but Scurry playfully nibbles my ear instead of answering. "It's always a competition but look on the bright side. It's just one more hurdle for you to jump over to make you a better lover." I feel more insulted than appreciative of her praise. _That's only mildly insulting to my prowess..._

My hands grab Scurry's legs in response as I move towards our room, her arms tightening around my neck and her face grinning madly as I carry her away.

* * *

Our clothes are coming off from the hallway door to the bathroom door, my hands grabbing clothes off the ground as we move. "C'mon, hurry up Kosh. Your concert is in a few hours and you still need to practice," Scurry states as she turns on the lights. I don't answer her, instead of tossing the dirty clothes into a laundry basket in the corner. "Being in a rush in no excuse for making a mess. We room with more squids now," I retort but Scurry grins from the bathroom door at me. I look back at Callie and Marie behind me to get their opinion but they only encourage Scurry's behaviour by giggling and pushing me after her.

Whatever restraint Scurry has evaporates when I close the bathroom door, her arms already wrapping around my neck as she starts to kiss me aggressively with her tongue. My body is already revved up from the brief moment earlier with Marie and it takes little encouragement to lifting Scurry and move her to sit on the counter. "You make me so _angry_ at times..." she gasps between kisses, our bodies connecting quickly as she wraps her legs around my waist. Her tirade is important but difficult to listen to between kisses and movements. "Ever since you...shared ink with the Sisters...you keep paying...so much attention to them..." she growls as I feel her body clamp down on me angrily. _I had no idea that Scurry is the jealous type..._ Her teeth bite my lip as well but in my aroused state, I barely noticed. "Is that why...you've been biting me...so much recently?" I gasp in pain and pleasure, kissing her a few times and rubbing her back and hair tentacles with my hands as we work out our stress.

Her mouth moves to clamp down on my shoulder playfully as I continue to move, the warmth and wetness of her body making my head spin. She eventually lets go of my shoulder with a moan of enjoyment. "I just...enjoy biting you...I don't...I don't know why..." she whispers but we both tense as my body moves closer to hers, a loud moan escaping us both at the feeling of new wetness and warmth from ink discharge. I feel my shoulder wound close when she licks the wound, the feeling only pushing me further into the mood. Another thought comes riding in as I feel myself get wound up enough to share more ink. _I think I'm becoming addicted to sharing ink...that's a depressing thought...  
_

"You enjoy it...admit it..." Scurry whispers as her body relaxes but remains pressed against mine as I pick her up to move us towards the bathtub. My hand taps the bath fixture quickly before returning to her body to support her. "Maybe, maybe not...I don't know half of what I want anymore..." I say while watching over her shoulder as the cyan ink fills the tub. "I haven't really had time to think about it...Things keep coming up and then there's you three wanting my attention all the time and-"

"And the former octarian dictator trapped in the truck in Sheldon's garage," she finishes for me in a whisper, my face darting to look at her in shock and surprise. "How do you know-" I start to say before she kisses me into silence, my face blushing alongside my confusion and shock. "You didn't think to stop anyone from recording and uploading what happened near the spawn point, did you...I just pieced together the rest..." she whispers into my ear and I immediately sigh in frustration. _She's right...it didn't even occur to me at the time..._ I don't bother to think about it further, instead content with entering the bath tub with the hiss of ink displacement. "For someone trying to hide something, you are terrible at keeping secrets," she gloats as she pulls herself closer again, her hands and hair tentacles moving to pick up ink from the tub and rub it across my skin.

"Let me guess...Callie and Marie know too..." I groan while doing the same as her hands rub my shoulders and arms. "Anyone with a squidphone knows what happened. Marie has to do a statement tomorrow to clear things up. I'm surprised that she wasn't as mad as the rest of us," she elaborates, my face moving from sombre to morbid in an instant. _Marie doesn't get mad, she gets even...what have I unleashed?_ Scurry's grin widens when she sees my expression, her hands already lifting my arms to wash underneath them. "Oh, don't worry about it. You'll just have to roll with the misfortune like you always do."

"I'm more concerned about where we're going to put this octoling since we have to use the truck for the show," I say idly, moving my hands to scrub Scurry's lower body now that her upper body was done. Her face transforms into an evil grin as I touch her hips, causing my doubts to resurface. "Oh, I don't think she'll be a problem."

"What makes you say that?" I ask and her head moves over my shoulder to whisper into my ear. I don't fully believe what she says but I'm surprised enough to ask for clarification. "You really think Marie doesn't keep tabs on the flight records for the truck? You know her so little..." she growls playfully while moving her head over my shoulder again and resting it there. _I've only really known the Sisters on this level for about two days..._ "So...you already knew I was lying..." I state grimly, her teeth nibbling my ear in response before she whispers a response. "I wonder how we'll punish you for trying to lie to us, hmm?"

I let out a sigh but start to smile anyways. "We'll worry about that after the show. I don't want to disappoint thousands of squids with my poor performance," I respond but hands go to my shoulders as Scurry forces me onto my back, ink displacing underneath me as her body mounts me. I gasp in surprise as she growls of excitement from the sudden move. "You can't say no to me right now...consider it your punishment..." she gasps as she starts to move on her own, my hands moving to her hips as I let the moment happen. _She's being much rougher now..._ Her hair tentacles and hands holding me down as she moves aggressively but there's a hint of anger in her movements. "I hate it at times...having to share...it doesn't matter what it is...maybe it's because I'm sharing the one I love most...but it just...I just _hate_ it!" she growls as her hands ball into fists, an angry growl feeding my growing unease.

"They why did you agree to it?" I say before one of her fists punches me in the chest, causing me to cough more from shock than pain. "Don't you start! You couldn't resist any more than I could! They're pop idols and they want to be with you! How could anyone say no to that!?" she shouts, her angry voice likely carrying outside the bathroom. _Better to vent all the frustration than to keep it bottled up._ I try to rise up but she keeps me in place, growling at me in irritation when I try to move. "So we both got guided into this...I guess I'm not alone in feeling powerless..."

"Damn right you aren't! You know how I felt when they asked me that!? There was a choice but there wasn't one! Just like-" I close my eyes as she continues to rant, not quite hearing what else she says as the mood sours for me. _I'm weak...maybe it **was** better to say no to them instead... _Scurry lifts herself off me and my eyes open to see her move to the far end of the tub and curl into a ball. "Get out! I'll clean myself!" she shouts at me, my head downcast and face sad. _So this is how she really feels about all this. I can't imagine what it's like for her._ I feel tears start to come and blink a few times to keep them away, unwilling to show sadness when it's self afflicted. My body doesn't want to move, the sadness growing until all I can do is sit there in the tub. **  
**

A towel is placed against my head, moving to dry off the access ink but I don't look up, sadness still gnawing at me. "Maybe I went a bit overboard...I don't want you to feel down in the dumps because of me," Scurry tries to say in comfort but I let out a sad sigh, letting some tears flow down my face as I look up at her. "I really messed up...you're right...I thought everything was alright and working out but...but I was just deluding myself..." I whisper, closing my eyes and trying to control myself but I hear her snort lightly. "Don't be such a downer, Kosh...we can learn to adapt...that and we don't have a choice..." she says glumly as she brings my hands up in front of me, my face still downcast in sadness despite her efforts. "It would be pretty stale to just turn around and undo your choice... especially since you already sprayed their insides with ink and all..."

Unbidden, I bring her into a hug and put my head on her shoulder as tears continue to fall down my face. "I told you already...I'm not leaving you behind...I'll never leave you behind...stop thinking I will..." I whisper desperately, hearing her sniffle a little as I rub my cheek against her face. She starts to cry as well as she stutters a response. "You stupid...I just...I just don't know...it was all so clear before...I was all there was to you...now...I'm one of three..." My cheek becomes damp from tears as I apply more pressure to the hug. "You still are all there is to me...just tell me what I need to do to show it..." _It hurts...it hurts a lot and I don't know if I can handle this hurt..._

Her crying stops in an instant as I hear her chuckle darkly. " _Well_ , you did offer..." she gloats as my arms let go and a groan of frustration escapes me for having my heart strings plucked. _That's a new trick that I won't fall for again...I hope..._ "Oh, by the way? I already know everything you just said. I just get jealous as a reflex when you do things to the others that you haven't done with me yet. Maybe try those things on me for a change?" she asks as she pulls our bodies back together and wraps herself around me. _She's direct as always...I was dumb to think her deep thoughts were genuine..._ "Alright...you name the time and place," I respond with a smile, breathing out in both frustration and relief as she gives me a few kisses.

"The time is later and the place is our room but first, you need to make a fool of yourself in front of Inkopolis," she states while trying to get up but I pull her back towards me with a smile. Her body responds to my touch by wrapping around me as we kiss a few more times, my voice only saying one more thing before we lose ourselves.

"No...the time is now and the place is right here..."

* * *

Callie and Marie saw everything because we didn't lock the door to the bathroom, a fact we learn when Marie gently reminds us from outside the bathroom that the show starts in four hours. Scurry and I are mid-kiss when this happens, our kiss freezing for a second as we both awkwardly turn towards the door. "Alright, shows over girls. It's time to get back to the task at hand," Scurry states as she gets out of the tub, wraps a towel around herself, and moves out of the bathroom. I only get halfway to the door before the urge to use the toilet hits me, my body doing an about face and heading back to the toilet to relieve myself. I sigh in relief as I use the toilet but my kimono is thrown at me without warning, slapping me in the face. "Hurry up! You need to practice and the show starts in another four hours!" Callie shouts from outside the bathroom. "Alright, alright, quit rushing me! I'm trying to pass ink!" I grumble loudly out the door while putting my kimono on the counter to prevent it from getting dirty. I stop for a second and chuckle to myself when I get a sense of deja vu. _It all come's full circle...My life is complicated..._

Though I didn't like being rushed when passing ink, I did agree that time is of the essence and tried to perform my business without wasting too much time. I make extra sure that I secure my kimono before I make for the door, not wanting to have an indecent incident in front of every squid in Inkopolis. The room outside is becoming more hectic since we made enough racket to wake up some of the other squids in the house, Clementine and Whinter now in the room demanding an explanation. "Some of us are trying to sleep, guys...why are you being so noisy..." Clementine yawns while rubbing an eye and Whinter looks around the room, a look of surprise on his face at the lack of mess. "Wow, this place is...really clean. I'm so used to the clothes and junk littering the floor-"

"It's not junk! It's useful stuff!" Callie says from her seat on the bed, clearly irritated at Whinter's comment while Marie adds a comment of her own. "We simply have no time to keep the room clean given our schedules." _That's not true at all._.. _They just choose to be messy squids..._ Clementine and Whinter finally spot me standing in the bathroom door and both of them give me a look of amusement. "So...about that octoling..." Whinter starts but Clementine nudges him in the side to stop him. "You really didn't think to stop squids from uploading that, Kosh?"

"She was leaking ink from gashes on her stomach and on her legs and I didn't know how badly at the time. I really didn't have 'keeping that a secret' in mind...but I do admit I made a mistake." _What the zapfish was I thinking opening the door for her!?_ Marie chuckles to herself from her position next to Callie as she views her squidphone. "It appears the video is trending."

"Let me see that," I ask as I move towards them, Callie turning her phone around and showing me a video titled 'The O.L.S. shows mercy to their worst enemies!' on Squidtube. It was someone in the front row, the scene starting from when we arrive and finishing when we run down the street. My hand is moving forward to snatch Callie's phone with a grin on my face as I start to type a comment to the video. "What are you doing?" Callie asks with a look of concern but I just smile back and hand her back the squidphone. "Just leaving my thoughts. Let's see what squids think," I respond with amusement, my body not ready for her to spring out of her seat and pull my arm towards the main door. I miss a step as she yanks me along, tripping over myself before I can keep up. "We don't have time to speculate! We need to get in another 2 hours of practice so let's go!" she states as she continues to pull me, my head only able to give a brief nod to Clementine and Whinter before we pass them.

 _I hope the new arrivals get used to the practice sessions that Callie and Marie have to perform on a regular basis. I'm still adjusting to it._

* * *

The entire house is already up and having breakfast when we reach the living room, Vadelma, Logan, and Tanrine in the kitchen preparing more food as the others eat and chat. Logan and Tanrine are getting a lesson on basic cooking from Vadelma, Tanrine starry-eyed and amazed at everything Vadelma's doing while Logan calmly watches her every move and emulates them precisely. A hand angles my head away from the kitchen and points it towards the TV. "I appreciate your curiosity at times but you need to focus now, Kosh," Marie says gently as she nudges me gently into position. _Breakfast and a show? I hope the other squids appreciate my efforts._

Callie doesn't wait for me to prepare, her hand already pressing play on her squidphone to start up Maritime Memory. The practice becomes a brutal half hour of trying to keep pace with the song while fighting off the grumbling of a stomach. I'm eventually allowed a ten-minute break and quickly cross the living room to collapse into one of the couches as Scurry rapidly feeds me from a plate in her lap before the next set. My hands move the plate and chopsticks off her lap once the plate is empty, my face moving forward to kiss her on the lips with a quick thanks. Her face flushes at the sudden move before I have to get up to join Whinter in his kimono for the next set.

He's looking more comfortable than last time and from the brief hug and kiss he shares with Clementine, there are some theories as to why. _Everyone's getting closer to each other these days..._ I involuntarily look at Logan and Tanrine wondering if they'd be next but Whinter shoves me by the shoulder and responds to my gaze. "You deviant. Don't even think about working your skills on them. They're still pure at heart squids."

"Hey, squids asked _me_ for advice. I don't force that advice on them," I retort, moving to position as we both chuckle in good humour. It's not long before Ink Me Up is blaring in the background to our enthusiastic dances and singing, Whinter showing improvement from yesterday with smoother movements and precise singing. Like the practice before, it's over before we realize it and we end with the signature pose. "You're getting better at this, Whinter. I didn't even cringe at your off-tune singing."

"Oh, shut up. We all can't be memory machines like you, Kosh," he states with a smile, giving me another light shove on the shoulder before moving to the table to sit next to Clementine, his practice now finished as Marie steps in to take his place. _I guess I don't get a break this time..._ Scurry grins savagely and presses play on her squidphone to make Tide Goes Out start as I rush to get into position with Marie. _How much punishment am I enduring today!?  
_

Another performance passes by in a blur and before I know it, Marie and I are doing our final gestures and moving to take a short rest. Marie sits me down next to her on a couch and gives me a hug, my arms moving around her gently as she starts whispering to me. "I'm not leaving you...don't feel sad...I'm still right here..."

Something about her tone makes me feel sad and I try my best to keep it under control. _Why does being near her make me fell so insecure?_ Before I can ponder her words further or try to respond to them, the moment is interrupted by Callie wrapping her arms around us both with too much pressure. I gasp in pain as I feel something pop in my hip. "Oh, sorry...my mistake..." Callie says playfully as she releases her grip slightly, Marie and I gasping in minor pain from her embrace. I don't have time to say anything because Callie is tugging me away, this time towards the main door instead of in front of the TV. "That's good enough! We have to be there in an hour!"

"An hour? Isn't the show in two?" I state in confusion, Callie beaming a smile at me as she explains why were going early.

"We have to get there early to meet the fans, silly!"


	30. Fan Service

**Chapter XV: Fan Service**

* * *

Crowds of squids are already waiting for us when we exit the apartment building, the four of us in front dressed in stage clothes while those who followed behind us are in street clothes. Before they can mob us, Marie makes a statement to the crowds in a clear and loud voice. "It's nice of you all to come see us so quickly but no deal! Let's get to the booth first!" she shouts to the crowd who cheer at us but part to clear a path. My head looks over my shoulder to see our those behind us slink into the crowd, some of them giving me grins of amusement and waves goodbye before disappearing. Whinter pokes me in the side with an elbow, my attention shifting to his hand gesturing to the crowd. He has to shout to be heard over the noise of cheering. "Look, Kosh! You have fans too now!" he shouts as he points at some of the T-shirts with the cyan Kraken symbol and my neutral face on it.

"When did I agree to merchandise that!?" I shout in return, Whinter shrugging and continuing to follow the Sisters. _If I had to guess, Sheldon had authorized it..._ Whinter shouts with a grin in reply. "What's it like!? Having your face on a T-shirt!?"

"You should know!" I shout back while pointing at the crowd, the dark blue tuna fish and Whinter's grinning face on some of them. Whinter's grin widens at me as his face blushes from embarrassment. "I mean...I had to make team Splat Jam popular somehow! So I just...asked Sheldon and he said yes! I didn't think it would take off!" he shouts to me and I smile and pat him on the shoulder. "Sure you didn't!"

The head moves around in confusion when I notice the crowd noise start to die down quickly, the cheers lowering in volume slightly until all that's left is silence. Whinter is surprisingly calm despite the difference in volume, looking almost sad as he gestures ahead to Callie and Marie. They're both staring at me with their backs to our table, Callie giving me an evil grin that causes my suspicions to immediately rise. Marie speaks loudly and clearly to address me. "Kosh. You have someone that would like a word with you."

They both move away to let me see past them, a familiar figure in fatigues sitting on the table with her purple eyes now regarding me with cold and calculation. Without warning, the octoling from before leaps at me from her seat on the table with hair flailing and hands like blades at her sides. Instincts take over and I step to my right, narrowly avoiding a flat hand swing at my neck. _What's happening!? Why are my friends allowing this!?_ She starts trying to slam me with kicks, punches, and chops, a leg connecting with my face to knock me backwards onto my back. I roll with the impact when I hit the ground, avoiding the follow up fist that she throws as it impacts the ground.

My confusion distracts me enough for her fist to slam into the stomach followed with a knee to my face, my body reeling back in pain as my stance becomes haggard. The octolings attack stops for a moment as she stands in a fighting stance. "Fight back! Why do you hold your blows!?"

"I don't even know what's going on!" I shout back, my hand rubbing the sore points on my face as she rushes me again to slam another kick into my head, this time driving me onto my back from the impact. She quickly jumps and lands feet first on my stomach, causing me to cough out loudly before she crouches down on top of me. "If you do not fight back, I will splat you here and now." I can't help but laugh at that, giving her an exhausted smile as I retort. "Go ahead. Knock yourself out."

Her face twinges in anger as her right-hand pulls back, the limb surging forward towards my left eye. I try to bring up a hand or move my head to avoid the blow but I'm not fast enough, the hand whipping down like lightning. I feel the sensation of it tearing through my eye and into my brain before I explode into a puddle of cyan ink, my spirit sucked back to the spawn point at the Battle Lobby. I rise out of the ink more confused than angry as general outrage comes from the crowd outside, everyone turned towards the scene and not noticing me respawning.

I move quickly forward with a sigh and tap a nearby inkling on the shoulder with a smile, asking them whats going on in the square. The inkling boy with green hair gasps as he realizes who I am. "Wait! You're alive!? But we just..." he stutters as I shake my head in response. "We'll I kinda...did get splatted...but everything's fine now...I guess..."

Before I can say more, the boy starts to shout that I'm alive and others turn to see if it's true, gasps and murmurs coming from the crowd as they clear a path for me to travel. My hand is on my left eye in amusement as they let me pass, still remembering the sensation of a hand tearing through my eye and into my brain. _It hurt a lot...something to remember...  
_

Callie and Marie are there to greet me when I get past the crowds, Marie hugging me gently and Callie grinning at me from behind Marie. "Do you care to tell me what just happened?" I ask Marie in a whisper, her smiling face hovering into view as she looks at me. "Well, the octoling asked for one condition over the squidphone before she sides with us. She wanted you to go splat. So we...agreed," she states calmly as I let out a groan, looking past Marie to see the octoling sitting on the table wiping herself clean of cyan ink with a towel with her face passive and cold.

When she notices my gaze, she gets up off the table and makes a path towards me, stopping just short of Marie and I as the crowds around us go silent for a few seconds. The tension rises as we square off and stare at each other but the octoling eventually inclines her head in what could be called respect. "Though I do not agree with your lack of offense, the deal is struck. Consider ourselves allies for the time being," she states while offering a hand that I take and shake gently, my face paling when I feel the terrible strength behind her hand shake.

Cheering sounds as the crowd starts to break their spell of wonder, my head swiveling around to regard the crowds with amusement on my face. "Another publicity stunt?" I shout at Marie now that I have to compete with the crowds. "Of course. What else would it have been?" she yells back while waving at the fans. I grin and move close to her ear, asking quietly if it was revenge but when her face turns to me, she displays an evil grin that makes me recoil in shock. She whispers into my ear menacingly to explain. "Next time, don't lie to us and more importantly, don't lie to me," she growls and my head nods quickly as her face returns to a smile.

"Sorry for the interruption, fans! We just had to deal with that first! Let's get this panel started!" Callie shouts to the crowd as they cheer in response. _I agreed on signing autographs and taking pictures, not fielding questions._ My groan is lost in the cheers as I find myself moving towards my seat at the panel, casually falling into the chair as the others take their seats. Maria taps the mic to test it, the feed buzzing as it activates and tunes itself.

"Can you hear me, Inkopolis?" Marie says gently into the mic, a cheer of welcome responding to her question. "Very good. Welcome to another live panel with the fans. You already know who we are but lets say it again. I'm Marie, one of the Squid Sisters and leader of the Octarian Liberation Splatoon." She looks to her right at me, my posture straightening as everyone's eyes fall on me. "I'm Kosh, CK, and a lot of other names...some of them offensive. I lead a turf war team, the Cyan Krakens and am part of the O.L.S. as a field operative." Marie and I look towards Callie on our left who smiles and shouts into her mic unnecessarily. "And I'm Callie! The other, more energetic Squid Sister! I'm also a field operative!" _I'm surprised the mic didn't overload from that..._ I have to lean forward a bit to see Whinter past Callie and Marie who look confused before he notices it's his turn, quickly leaning forward to speak into the mic. "I'm Whinter, a Roller for team Splat Jam and a field operative."

Marie nods to herself and continues the panel. "We've been running polls for the questions you want to know most and the results are in. We'll spend a half hour answering them from highest rating to lowest. Callie, if you would?" she states while gesturing to Callie who brings out her squidphone, navigating to the poll results with a grin of excitement. "Alright! This first question is to Kosh. Kosh, you were never super popular on the turf war scene and still abstain from ranked battles yet you've not only formed your own team but are now dating the Squid Sisters. How did you do it?" I let out a laugh at the confusing series of thoughts. _Which 'do' are they referring to?_ "I didn't really do much. Everything from the team to the relationships to all the fame was a gift to me by those around me. I never intended to do any of this on my own and was perfectly fine with being a nobody. I'm unsure myself how I ended up here." _I was pushed here by those around me because they needed me to be here..._

"Seriously? So all those times we had a team rivalry wasn't because you wanted it?" Whinter asks me out of turn as I absorb and answer the question. "To be honest? I've never been rivals with team Splat Jam. Marian just keeps insisting that we're rivals...and we both know that once she decides something, nothing we do will change that." The crowd laughs before Callie goes for the next question, a smile on her face as she speaks. "This ones for Marie and it's rather spicy! Marie, what is it like to have to share your love interest with two other girls? Do you feel threatened at all that he'll choose someone over you?" Marian gives a gentle smile before answering. "No, I don't. All three of us agreed to share him among us and despite everything we may do to each other, we won't hold ill will for it."

Callie is already moving on to the next question with a nod, scrolling with her finger rapidly. "Alright! Next question is...wow, squids! That's really personal but OK! How many times a day do you share ink with your partner?" _Wow, that **is** personal...I'm surprised she agreed to answer that..._ "Well, we only started dating very recently so the most I've shared ink with him is twice. With everything I need to do in a given day, it's hard to find time to do anything but what I need to!" _Twice...one per night for the two days we've been together...three when tonight hits..._ Callie moves on to the next question swiftly, not pausing to elaborate further. "Alright, next! I apologize for the swiftness but we need to get through these fast to get more answered! Whinter, this one's a bit personal too! Rumor has it that you've never shared ink with your chosen partner, Clementine, the leader of team Vitamin Ink. Why hold back after you've been with each other for almost 3 years?" I look over at Whinter, barely seeing his sweat as he clears his throat. "Well, actually...we've...already done that..."

"Do you mind me asking when?" Callie persists with a grin, Whinter shaking his head no with a retort already lined up. "I'd...rather not...sorry..." he whispers but Callie gives him a smile and a nod. "That's OK! You answered the question, right!?" Callie is already browsing through her phone again, her grin still on her face. "Another one for Kosh! Kosh, how much effort does it take to maintain a relationship with three girls? Can it even be done?" I quickly clear my throat and say, "I'd say it can't be done alone. There's no way I can keep up with all three of them without being given some mercy here and there. I may not look it but the past two days has been exhausting and I'm barely holding together."

I give them an exhausted smile and the crowd laughs at my antics, Marie leaning over to give me a hug from her seat that I return in kind to the audience awing. "Alright, next question! Marie, you always have a motherly personality and a stern demeanor. Do you plan on having any smaller inklings when the time comes?" Marie releases her hug and answers clearly. "Yes. When the time comes, I hope to be a mother and raise my own inklings here in Inkopolis." Callie cheers and offers a hi-five, Marie smiling and slapping the hand. "That's my cousin! You go, girl! Next question! Callie, you can put away more food than several inklings combined. How do you keep your figure?" Callie scratches her head a little before answering. "You know...I've been to doctors about it and the most they say is that my metabolism is abnormally high for an inkling and burns off all excess body fat at a higher rate. I don't have a choice on how much I eat and I have to eat a lot to keep my strength up."

Callie gives a grin to the crowd and puts her right hand on her left arm to showing off her muscles, the crowd cheering at her in response. "Alright, next! Whinter, do you ever feel you'll step out of Marian's shadow and lead a team of your own?" Whinter immediately shakes his head no and replies confidently. "Are you kidding me!? And give up on all the years I've spent in the team that we've built up together!? No way! If I have the chance, I'm sticking with them until the end!" He raises a fist in emphasis, the crowd cheering loudly at his answer but Callie retorts into her mic with another question. "But what if Clementine asks you to join her team to replace one of her own? Would you do that?" Whinter shakes his head no again, his answer not as confident but still firm. "Sorry, Clementine. There's no way I can turn my back on team Splat Jam."

"Good to know that I'll have to spend a lot to convince you!" Clementine yells from the front rows of the audience, Whinter smiling as he beckons her to come up to the booth. Clementine rushes around the table up to him and leaps into his arms with a bright smile before sitting in his lap. "Hey, squids! I'll be around for the next question! Let's see how Whinter responds now," she exclaims to the audience's approval, the panel and crowd laughing at her antics as Callie moves to the next set of questions. "Alright, Kosh. This one a bit dark so bear with it. You said yourself that it's a terrible thing to take a life for keeps. How many lives do you think you've had to take since this conflict in Octaria started?" _I mean, it's a reasonable question..._ I try not to sound too grim when I answer. "I've lost count sadly...too many...I'm not even sure if that's accurate and sadly, it all kind of blurs together..." No cheering greets my answer, the mood now sombre and melancholic as the audience reflects on my words.

Callie doesn't let the mood sink in. "Thanks, Kosh. Next question! Marie, it must weight heavily on you leading one of the only Splatoons to be actively opposing octarian military dictatorship. Once the war is won, what do you plan to do about what remains of Octaria?" Marie's answer doesn't miss a beat a she smiles at the crowd. "We plan to change our Splatoon into a relief effort, recruiting anyone willing to aid those in Octaria in rebuilding their lives. Hopefully, with our help, we can put an end to future conflicts as well."

There's cheering in response but the mood at the booth becomes grim as Marie's message sinks in. _It's the Cap'n original mission was...it should make me feel good...but it doesn't..._ Tears start to fill my eyes and I wipe them away, breathing out in sadness but also in pride. _I hope your proud of your granddaughters, Cap'n, wherever you may be now._ Callie fairs worse as she puts her hands to her face as she breaks down in tears, Marie moving to hug her as she starts to sob. I rise from my seat to hug her as well, Whinter and Clementine following suit as we try to calm her down. Thankfully, it takes only a few minutes of silent reflection from the audience before she can move her hands away from her face, Marie wiping her tears away with a handkerchief. "I'm...I'm sorry, squids...it's just...even after so much time has passed...I still miss my grandpa..."

After a brief moment of her trying to control herself, she eventually picks up her squidphone and continues to browse through the questions. "Alright, next question...um...you and Marie have produced solo songs so far. Do you ever plan on breaking up the Squid Sisters?" She gives the audience a laugh but those at the booth can tell she's still trying to recover. "No way! Just because we're producing songs on our own doesn't mean we're breaking up! What kind of a question is that!?" The crowd cheers as she beams a smile at them but she's already moving to the next question. "Alright, last question! Whinter, what made you choose a Roller as the weapon for you to master and specifically, why the first model of the Krak-On Splat Roller?" Whinter grins as he answers more out of embarrassment because we all turn to him to hear his answer. _He never told us why. This outta be good._ "I have a bad habit of forgetting squids are trying to splat me when I'm turf warring. I figured I might as well give them a surprise too," he states as Clementine laughs and forms a retort. "They'll never let you live that first time down though! You choked and I Splat Bombed you!" she gloats as the crowd and Whinter laugh in good humor. "I mean...I can't be perfect, can I? Plus, that was my first match ever on team Splat Jam so that doesn't count!"

Callie quickly interrupts them by shouting into her mic, "Well squids, that about wraps up the Q&A session! You're probably bored out of your minds about now so let's move on to the show!" I smile as I hear the roar of the truck's engine overhead, Sheldon and Drosyn arriving at the right time to land at a partitioned lot in the square, touching down quickly with a metallic thud and deploying the stage as the crowd explodes in a cheer at their flashy arrival. "Now let me ask you squids this..." Callie shouts into the mic as the rest of us rise from our seats to move towards the stage.

"Who's ready for Splatfest!?"


	31. Song and Dance

**Chapter XVI: Song and Dance**

* * *

Sheldon and Drosyn are already hard at work getting the truck ready for the show when the four of us arrive, Drosyn holding Sheldon in front of an electrical box. "Nice entrance but was is necessary?" I ask Sheldon and his response quick and precise without needing to turn to me. "Yes. Showmanship is everything in our line of work...I thought you'd know that by now," he says calmly as I snort in response. "You know I'm not an idol."

"You keep saying that but you usually end up the things you say you aren't. I guess that means you're an idol now," Sheldon retorts with a smile before pulling back his hands briefly at the sound of electrical discharge. "Well, I'd love to chat more but I need to fix that fuse that just shorted out," he grumbles in frustration as I quickly nod and move away, taking a seat in some chairs that Drosyn had set up earlier. The others join me as we try and relax. _Typical timing...why can't our props break when we don't need them?_

"Is the truck still able to run the concert?" Callie asks me idly while looking at the squidphone in her hand, my face grimacing as I shrug. _Zapfish, I didn't even ask_... "It slipped my mind but from that electrical short I just saw? I think we might be delayed." Sheldon throws up his hands then fist pump them in victory as I finish my sentence, Drosyn moving him over to us as he grins in triumph. "Got it! The concert is back and ready to go! Just give the word!" he says enthusiastically, everyone turning to look at me as I smile ruefully at them. "Right, I'm the first set...I mean, the word is given, Sheldon!" I say theatrically in correcting myself, rising from my seat gracefully and arrogantly sweeping past him with my arm extended forward to take the stairs to the stage.

"Forgetting something?" Sheldon says to me, my body turning around to see him holding a headset mic. I grin at him in embarrassment and quickly move back towards him to take the mic. "Oh, right...um...thanks...anything else I'm missing?" I ask in embarrassment, Callie and Marie moving from their seats towards me and standing in front of me with expectant expressions. "You guys are so needy..." I groan in mock annoyance, hugging and kissing them in turn before turning back around. "Alright, time to get this concert started. I'll see you guys in a bit," I state while waving behind me and moving to climb the stairs to the stage.

 _It's all in your head...the crowds aren't that scary..._

* * *

My unease doubles as I reach the front of the stage, the crowds cheering at me as I stand at the centre of attention. I swallow in nervousness before activating my headset mic. "Hey, Inkopolis! How's it going!?" I shout confidently to the crowd with a wave, the crowd roaring their approval at me in reply. "I expected a small turnout but this!? You guys really wanted this, didn't you!?" I ask and another roar of approval answers me. I smile when I see held posters with the cyan Kraken on it. "Well, I won't hold you in suspense then! Sheldon, make it so!" I shout while pointing at the speakers. My body moves into a relaxed position as Maritime Memory starts to play, closing my eyes and calming myself with even breaths before bursting into a smile and starting the set.

Practice didn't fully prepare me for standing in front of thousands of expectant squids but it helped me focus. The teams in the front row cheering me on bolsters my confidence immensely. _I'm not about to let them down_. I stop focusing on the crowds and instead focus more on my performance, allowing myself to feel the rhythm and spending more time beckoning to the crowd and moving across the stage until the music dies down. My head lowers and my hands beckon to the crowd as a loud cheer of approval roars in at me as I raise my head, a grin on my face at the unexpected praise. "I was really nervous there for a second! This is the first time I've performed alone on stage but looking at you all here, I can say that I wasn't alone up here!" I shout with gusto, theatrically turning towards the stairs to point at a new arrival. "And speaking of not alone...!" I shout as Whinter with his own kimono glides onto the sage while waving and smiling at the crowd as they cheer at his entrance. "Hey, Whinter! What are you doing up here!?"

"Did you forget already, Kosh!? This is a four-set show!" he exclaims with a grin as the crowd laughs, a look of mock concern on my face when I turn back to the audience. "Wait, how do you expect me to keep performing in this!?" I blurt as I gesture at my long kimono, Whinter moving to stand next to me as we both grin and pull the bottoms of our kimonos, tearing off the lower parts and tossing them behind us. The crowds cheering raises an octave as Ink Me Up starts to blare in, our right fists raised to the sky as we prepare for the set.

Sheldon activates the light show as we get started, multicoloured and white lights playing across the stage as we start to dance and sing energetically. We have a little too much fun this time because Whinter starts improvising with handstand and spins, grinning at me in challenge as the performance continues. _Two can play that game._ A grin crosses my face as my feet leave the ground entirely in a backflip mid lyrics, my feet touching down gently as his grin shows surprise for a brief moment. The stakes keep increasing as the performance is forgotten for a moment, our bodies leaping in aerial moves and faces smiling at each other as we wait to see who's messing up first. The song ends before we can find out, the music stopping as both of us slamming our backs together and pointing to the crowd who cheer at us. "Well, that was fun! What do you think, Whinter?"

"I didn't know you could do flips like that! Have you been practising!?" he shouts while grinning as I laugh heartily. "No, but I had to make sure you didn't take _all_ the attention!" I say sarcastically as we both laugh again, the crowd laughing in response to our antics. "We better get moving!" I shout at him as I point towards the stairs with my other hand, my back still on Whinters as both of us separate and move to the stairs. We make sure to pick up the kimono bottoms as we pass and reattaching them. "Sorry, squids! That's it for the show!" I shout behind me as the audience groans in disappointment but I stop at the stairs, smiling to myself as the spotlight turns on above me. The audience goes from upset to cheering as Tide Goes Out starts to play and I turn around to start performing the third set.

Eyes closed, I gently perform my lyrics while moving back towards the front of the stage, opening my eyes when my set ends to stand in front of the crowd. My body turns back to the stairs gently and my hands beckon to Marie who has a spotlight on her, my feet moving back towards her as she moves up the stairs towards me while singing. We take each other's hands while she sings to me but as soon as she finishes, I move to stand next to her with my right hand in her left. Both of us sing as we glide towards the front of the stage, two sets of dancing and two spotlights becoming one as we sing the final set in unison. Both of us are silently beckoning the audience with our opposite hands as the music winds down to a stop, my left hand still holding her right as we hold position to the cheering audience.

"Somber...Interesting...Unique. I like it!" Callie says over the mic as both of us smoothly turn around and changing the hands being held to see her and Whinter taking to the stage dressed in their idol outfits. "Let's finish up here! The squids are probably wanting the next part more than the performance!" Callie shouts with her hands on her hips, Whinter mirroring her movements as they move to stand beside us. My head looks at Marie who returns my gaze, both of our heads turning back slightly to regard the audience as we both smile. Releasing our hands, we detach the lower part of our kimonos in a grand flick as Calamari Inkantation starts to play, the light show reactivated to paint the stage in multiple colours for the final time.

The dance is wilder than I'm used to seeing, our bodies twirling on stage as we keep up with the singing. At one point, Callie kicks a leg out from under me but I see the move and am able to flip forward to avoid her leg, smoothly picking up the performance when I land. _Nice try Callie, but not this time_. As revenge, I pick her up by the waist and toss her upwards but she turns the move on me by landing on her feet on my shoulders to dance and sing above me. Our part of the act becomes a balancing act as I have to sing and dance while keeping her stable. _This isn't what we planned...but that's Callie..._ She eventually front flips from my shoulders to dramatically take the front row with Marie who is following the standard act, thankfully not reacting to our improvisation as the music starts to wind down. Each of us strikes a unique pose when the music stops, the crowd bursting into applause and cheers as the sudden silence is filled with their noise.

Arms wrap around my neck from behind as someone nibbles on my ear, a smile on my face as I hear Scurry whisper, "Did you miss me?" I see the rest of the teams taking the stage now armed in their respective gear, team Splat Jam joining up with Whinter on my left while team Vitamin Ink takes the opposite side on my right. Team Cyan Kraken is behind me as Marie and Callie move forward with waves and smiles. "Thank you for being here Inkopolis but you asked us to do one more thing before we go! It took a lot of debating and paperwork but you had your request approved! Marina!? Pearl!? What are we doing next!?" Callie theatrically shouts as she points to one of the loudspeakers, Marina responding immediately to the question. "The most unorthodox type of match is about to begin! 14 vs. 14! Idols vs Fans! One of the largest turf wars we've ever had the privileges to air! The theme is still Flight vs. Invisibility so vote now to choose what the fan team will be for this event! You have 30 minutes so clock's ticking!"

The crowds are already lining up at the boxes with their squidphones to cast their vote as our group heads towards the stairs. My hand gives Sheldon a quick hi-five as we pass him and Drosyn, my smile mirrored on his face as he moves his .96 Gal around. "You get to test your own gear now, aye Sheldon?" I say to him as I shake his other hand, his smile widening as we go down the stairs. "You all get to test new gear but that's beside the point. Your gear is in the changing room of the truck," he says confidently as I give him a nod, our paths changing as I head for the changing room on my right.

Callie and Marie suddenly seize my arms and move ahead of me to drag me into the room, a quick toss sending me onto the couch as Callie giggles from the door. "No peeking!" she tells the others as the door shuts rapidly, Marie already undoing my kimono for me as I try to understand what's happening. "I know I agreed to anything but...is this really the time!?" I quickly blurt as Callie helps Marie in undoing my kimono, my face blushing as she also takes off my underwear.

"Shut up," Marie commands in a stern tone that my mind and body instantly obey as a reflex. She grabs my hands and pulls me to my feet only to shove me into a nearby chair. Before I can move, Callie quickly grabs my arms and ties them behind me. "You lied to us so now we have to have our way with you so we can forgive you," Marie says playfully as she starts undressing, Callie doing the same with a bit more relish than I liked. _I'm tied to a chair...I don't know if I should be aroused or frightened..._

Callie is already climbing my body to put her crotch in my face as she sits on my shoulders and commands me to lick her. I do as instructed, my tongue moving around her thigh and crotch as my eyes close in an attempt to focus. Callie's breathing becomes rougher and more rapid as her hands held my head in place, my hair tentacles brushing her legs lightly as she rubs them. Marie doesn't waste any time either, her weight sitting on my lap and connecting me with a sudden push before I can make sense of anything. Her hips start moving and her hands wrap around my back as I try to move my hips as well but realize that Marie had tied my legs to the chair.

 _I'm helpless...  
_

* * *

It doesn't take long for Callie to grab my head with both hands and pull it forward, groaning loudly as her ink sprays onto my face that slightly gags me when it gets in my mouth. She doesn't give me any respite by pulling my head back towards her crotch and commanding me to keep going. Marie is rubbing my back and enjoying herself as well, moaning as well when we exchange ink but following Callie's lead by moving before I can relax.

Callie lets loose five sprays of ink in an unknown amount of time before lifting herself off my shoulders to wipe pink ink off her crotch and my face with a cloth. "I hope you learned your lesson, Kosh. The next time will be much worse," she says with menace as she looks into my unfocused eyes. _I have no doubt of that..._ Marie lifts herself off my lap with a squish of ink, her hand already wiping away the mess she made of herself as she stares at me as well. Something menacing enters her gaze as she moves down to my crotch, her mouth attaching to me as I try to stop her but can't since my hands are still tied. "Marie, that's dangerous...he's already-" Callie tries to say but there's no stopping her as she licks me, my body starting to hurt from the amount of ink lost even as it feels excited from her touch. It doesn't take me long to reach my limit, my head lolling to the right side exhausted as Marie sucks out what remaining ink I have left out of my body. "So I...guess I'm an...easy target now..." I slur as I try to remain awake, my eyes closing as I groan in pain and exhaustion.

Marie is already wiping me down with another cloth as she tells Callie to unbind me, Callie already untying my hands that fall uselessly to my sides. I have a hard time focusing on anything but a drink is put into my mouth, the taste of tomato juice strong and pungent before I cough some of it out. "What...is this?" I groan as I feel some of my energy return, Marie stopping in her gear prep to explain. "It's Run-Speed Tomato Juice laced with a stamina boosting herb. You should feel better for a time but its no replacement for sleep," she says in a calm and comforting voice as Callie tries to give me the rest. I grimace as I try to take the cup from her, Callie holding onto it even as I drink the rest. "Easy there. You don't want to get red on anything," she says cheerfully as she passes me a super seanwich, my right hand seizing it and shoving it into my mouth in a few bites. "Stop being lazy and get your gear on," Marie orders as she finishes her gear prep and throws my Replica gear at me, my left hand catching what I can as the rest falls into my lap.

Callie and Marie are mostly in uniform now, looking like they had been three years ago when I first met them as part of the Squidbeak Splatoon. _Has it already been three years? Time moves so quickly..._ My pants and shoes are the first to go on before I put on my jacket, clipping them all onto my body as my ink tank is thrown on my back by Callie. I stand with some difficulty as Callie also puts my headset Splat Bombs on my belt and my Hero Shot Replica in its holster on my right thigh.

Despite what just happened to me, I move across to Marie and put one arm around her waist, dragging her towards Callie that I move my other arm around. "Are you...sure you don't want me to..." I ask them while blushing, not sure what I'm asking them as their faces look at each other. Callie grins at me when she responds. "I had no idea you're into being punished. You're such a deviant, Kosh!"

"I really don't like having no use of my arms or legs. What I'm asking is if you guys want to do so again...but only sparingly!" I blurt with a finger raised in caution, Callie laughing as Marie smiles at me warmly. "We'll think about it but right now, Whinter needs the room," she states as I give them a brief hug around the shoulders before they leave the room first with me behind them. "Finally! What took you guys so long!" Whinter says before his face changes to a look of surprise. I'm looking around wondering what he sees when Callie turns around and giggles to herself as she taps the top of her forehead, my arm quickly wiping that area to find pink ink on my arm. I keep wiping until I'm sure it's no longer on my forehead.

"No time to gawk, Whinter. Time's wasting," I say with a grin as Whinter quickly brushes past us and closes the door of the truck behind him, my gaze watching him before I turn back to Callie. "Did you do that on purpose?" I whisper to her, Callie giggling in response as she moves to sit. The others are nearby dressed in Hero Replica Gear with either a Hero Replica weapon or their signature weapon in their hands, all of them staring at me with neutrality. "Um...let me explain-"

"Tell us later," Marian retorts to cut me off as she checks her new Slosher variant, the others similarly occupied with their own checks of their new hardware and gear. I catch Tanrine asking Logan if her jacket makes her chest look bigger, his answer being that it looks fine as Tanrine screeches and hug him while nuzzling his face with hers. _Good recovery_. "How romantic," Scurry says over my shoulder as she moves to stand on my left side, my left hand already reaching out to pats her head and rubs her hair tentacles. "Don't rush them. A part of loving is knowing the right time," I say idly as Scurry puts her arm over my right shoulder. "Was our timing right?"

"No. You forced yourself on me and I didn't stop you. The rest you already know," I say without thinking, her groan and shove telling me that I made a mistake. "Way to kill the mood, Kosh...jerk..." she exclaims as I shake my head. "I'm not supposed to lie anymore, right? I thought that's what you agreed on," I retort sarcastically as she growls at me in growing anger. I quickly turn to seize her body before she can respond, kissing her swiftly with as much passion as I had on hand. Her hands move behind my back and head as we enjoy an unexpectedly tender moment and my hands move under her shirt to rub her back before I can stop myself, Scurry's face blushing and grinning when we finished kissing. "Someone's getting _really_ frisky but it'll have to wait until after the turf war," she states with a grin, kissing me lightly a few more times before breaking my embrace. I look back to the others who look at me with a mix of outrage and confusion. _What's wrong with me?...I'm losing control of my bodies responses..._ Whinter comes over and pats me on the shoulder with a grin. "You need to keep it under control, Kosh. The last thing I want to see is for you becoming some kind of ink fiend," he says playfully but my head nods slowly in response, my mind uncomfortable with the idea.

 _I need a good distraction_...


	32. Ink and Fury

**Chapter XVII: Ink and Fury**

* * *

My head falls back into cover as ink guns point in my direction, the cover I'm behind taking torrents of green ink while my Hero Shot Replica rises over the lip to spray blindly. I hear the sound of something splashing nearby and jerk my head towards the sound to see a Splat Bomb near my feet, my body instinctively rising and kicking the bomb away. The Splat Bomb sails away and detonates uncomfortably close but the desperate move exposes me, a Splat Charger shot impacting my back and throwing me forward onto the ink covered ground. _At least it wasn't a headshot..._ My body sinks into the blue ink as I go squid form to heal faster but another Splat Bomb lands near me, forcing me to swim away at speed but right into a Suction Bomb that lands into my swim path. I try to dodge the second bomb but the thrower had shortened the timer, the bomb detonating as soon as it lands and splatting me in a shower of green.

As I rise out of the spawn point again, already losing count of how many times I've been splatted, I activate my holo over my right eye to get a feel for the situation but have to deactivate it quickly when a group of four squids charges towards our sniper position. Marie and her team have to dive into whatever cover they can as ink starts spraying at them from a combination of weapons. My feet are already in motion with my weapon spraying as I charge into the attacker left flank but they respond quickly by dodging my poorly aimed shots and backing off into cover positions of their own to return sprays at me with. Their shots are better aimed and bring me close to death before I can dive behind cover. A quick peek of my head over the cover nearly gets it inked off as return sprays try to splat me, the sound of ink impacting the cover unsettling in its frequency.

A Sting Ray hisses nearby as Drosyn unleashes her special to spray the high-pressure ink across the four squids who desperately try to evade the spray, my body surging upwards to spray ink at one of the squids that leave cover. He dodges the spray and jumps into the ink to evade, my face now incredulous as he dodges both my shots and the Sting Ray before Callie lays into the squad with her Mini Splatling. With the added weight of the new ink levelled at them, all that's left after the brutal exchange is four squids reduced to blue ink puddles.

My head snaps upwards and my weapon follows my movement at the familiar sound of super jumping squids announcing their arrival, four of them descending at us with speed and glowing hands. Splat Charger sprays from our team take out two of them but the other two survive long enough to slam their hands into the ground nearby, causing massive waves of green ink to blast outwards from their impacts. I'd be splatted if Sheldon hadn't activated his Ink Armour, the ink layers shielding me from the blast and popping from the amount of damage as I immediately return sprays at the now vulnerable squids in response. The two survivors are reduced to ink puddles but an ironic smile crosses my face as I hear the whistle of inkstrikes above, looking up rapidly again to see three of the deadly missiles descending. _You gotta be kidding me! This is overkill!_

"Scatter!" Marie shouts into the comm, all of us obeying and diving into the ink to try and avoid the descending inkstrikes. _They spread out their inkstrikes! There isn't much room to manoeuvre! Unless..._ Thinking quickly, I spot an opening in the middle of the spread, my body rushing as fast as I can into the small gap in the circles of coverage and hunkering down. My squid body tenses and my eyes screw shut as massive geysers of green ink explode around me, the noise deafening for a few seconds before the ink settles with a splat. When I rise out of the ink and I open my eyes with a shocked exhale, I start to laugh hysterically at the concrete landscape covered green around me and having survived the strike. A Splat Charger spray to impacts my head moments later, splatting me in an instant.

I rise out of the spawn point in frustration, shaking my head before sliding rapidly along the ink into cover with Marie, Drosyn, and Sheldon. _Aw zapfish! That was my moment!_ "This is intense..." I say idly while trying to check my map again, my eyes rapidly analyzing. _1 minute left...they own a little more turf then we do..._ The sound of laughter fills the comm as Whinter claims his splats. "We got em! We got the inkstrike team hiding near their spawn! We're heading around the right flank to find the Splat Chargers!" _That was our cue._ I look around me to see if the assault team is gathered with me, Scurry and the octoling Flurry at the ready to my right. Scurry looks at me with her typical grin of excitement while Flurry double checks her Blaster before giving me a stern nod. _It's strange seeing her here and stranger seeing her fight with me._

I gesture with my head over the cover as I spring out, running with my Hero Shot spraying in my hands to cover up the damage from the inkstrikes as the others follow behind me with weapons spraying. The glow of three Splat Chargers aiming at us causes me to flinch slightly before I see Whinter's team slam into them with close range weapons, my attention immediately brought back in front of me as the earlier four squids come charging at us out of the ink to my right. _An ambush? It's gonna get close and brutal..._

Scurry and I slide behind a concrete barricade while Flurry dashes to our right and off a ledge with ink sprays following her, her fatigues already sporting spots of green ink from near misses as she draws the squids ink guns temporarily. Scurry and I snaps off sprays as we charge across the concrete bridge at the centre of the map but to the other squid's credit, they aren't distracted for long and split into two teams to cover both flanks. We dive behind another concrete barricade on the bridge to avoid their sprays and both of us prime and throw Splat Bombs blindly over the lip of the cover as soon as we're behind it.

I peak over cover quickly to see the other squids follow our moves, two Splat Bombs flying our direction as they take cover. Their aim is accurate because the bombs land near our feet, my body tensing as I try to rise and kick them away. Scurry is first to react, pushing herself off the cover and sliding along the ink to kick both Splat Bombs to her left before diving on top of me, my arms holding her as twin explosions send green ink flying through the air. The burning green lands on Scurry's back as she grits her teeth in pain and I quickly move her off me and place her on the cover as I ready my Hero Shot. _Footfalls...they're charging..._

I move out of cover but have to pull back into it when sprays of green ink impact where I just was. Something splashes nearby and I surge back out of cover to see Flurry lands among the four squids with a short super jump from below, her body doing a quick spin as she blasts the squids at close range. It's over in a second, all of them unable to respond and splatted with bursts of ink as Flurry quickly goes squid form and dives towards me. Splatling Gun sprays chase her as another team shows up to fill the gap, my body moving back into cover and pushing Scurry to the right slightly so Flurry can rise into cover with us.

Her face has a sour expression on it as she holds her weapon across her chest. "These inklings are unworthy of my skills. I thought you said this would be a challenge," she growls, her voice barely audible over the noise of ink sprays now directed at us. The excitement in her eyes is tempered by cold, my head shaking in amusement at her judgment. "Well...that was before-" I start to shout before something surges up out of the green ink nearby. I rush towards it without thinking, already spraying my ink gun at it in response but too slowly to down the squid rising from the ink with a Roller and readies a flick. My body catches the full spread of ink and explodes before a Blaster spray splats my assailant in kind.

I rise out of the spawn point for the third time, another groan of frustration coming from me as I check my holo again. _Can anyone survive for long with this many ink gun spraying?_ A hand grabs my left shoulder as I try to charge back into battle, my head swivelling to the left to see Scurry grinning at me and pointing at the holo in front of her left eye. "No point rushing off now. Time's already-"

The sound of the final whistle blares over the loudspeakers, my body relaxing at the end of the battle as Pearl starts to announce. "Match over! Let's see the results!" I turn off my holo unconsciously and exhale in exhaustion, my body giving out as I fall forward and slam onto the ground with a crash of gear. Someone is poking me in the side and I soon hear Scurry gloats from above me. "You alive down there? Nod if you understand," she states sarcastically as I give a nod, my face rubbing against the ink on the ground before hands move under my chest to unstrap my ink tank. The heavyweight is lifted off as I'm flipped over, Scurry sitting cross-legged next to me as my view looks skywards. _Zapfish, I'm tired..._ The loudspeakers blare again as Pearl continues her announcement. "A close match but Team Idols has defeated Team Fans 42% to 40%! That was some _insane_ special effects at the end! Good work everyone!"

"I don't...think I can...last much longer..." I groan through breaths from my spot on the floor, my eyes shutting when the urge to sleep starts to overpower me. A hand shakes my right shoulder roughly, causing my eyes to snap open as I gasp in surprise to see Scurry still grinning down at me. "Hey! Don't fall asleep! That was our last match but there's still the after party and you know...our time!" she exclaims as she roughly moves me to a sitting position. She lets go of her hands and I fall back towards the ground, my back nearly touching the floor before Scurry catches me at the last second. "Get up! We still have a lot to do!"

"Callie and I will handle the shopping," Marie states as she approaches our position, Callie still holding her Mini Splatling before raising it over her head in victory. She gives a loud cheer before dropping the weapon to the ground with a splat of ink, my face smiling at her showy display. "Yeah, save your energy, Kosh. You're gonna need it," Callie states with a bright smile as I try to move to my feet only to stumble back to a sitting position. Scurry puts my left arm over her shoulder and I sigh in exhaustion as I feel my body desperately wanting to sleep but being forced to stay awake, my feet partly dragging and partly walking across the ink-stained ground.

"C'mon, love. No time to waste! We have an after party to get to!"

* * *

"That was so much fun! We need to do that more often!" Callie shouts from her spot at the table between mouthfuls of food as other squids nod their heads in agreement. Clementine interjects enthusiastically from her spot as well. "The fans are all over Squider and Squidgram! They really liked the event!" _We only had enough time for ten matches...a small percentage got to participate..._ My head nods idly as my eyes start to droop closed again before Scurry corrects my posture with her hands and opens my mouth to put sushi into it, my mouth slowly closing and chewing as I exhale through my nose. "Still feeling super tired?" she asks with concern, my head nodding slowly as I swallow my sushi. "A lot just happened today...I can barely remember half of it..." I whisper in exhaustion, exhaling again and taking a slow drink of milk tea. I cough out some of the milk tea onto the table from drinking it too quickly, Scurry groaning at my display as I cough several times after. "Take it easy, Kosh. Just relax but don't fall asleep," she whispers playfully, her hand using a napkin to clean up the mess I made on the table and on myself.

I can't hide the desperation when I respond to her demand. "Can I please just sleep and make it up to you tomorrow? I'm really tired right now-" I whisper but my head recoils slightly when Scurry glares at me sharply and growls in frustration, her teeth bared at me before she exhales angrily through her teeth. "Fine...but you owe me big..." she growls and gets out of her seat, my body relaxing as she throws me over her shoulders and lifts me off the ground. Scurry groans in further frustration when I go limp in her grip. "Sorry guys but I have to put sleepy here to bed," she growls to the others as she carries me down the hallway. The other squids say things that I can barely hear as we move away from the table, my eyes closing as I smile and whisper a thank you.

"We're sharing ink as soon as you wake up so don't even think about trying to argue about it."

* * *

My eyes finally open to a new day, my body feeling slightly refreshed but my mind not remembering much past being carried down the hallway by Scurry. Scurry, for her part, is already in my field of vision, my head jerking slightly back in surprise as her face grins down at me. _And we aren't wearing clothes..._ "Morning, sunshine. You feeling better?" she asks quickly while moving to put her tongue in my mouth, my eyes closing as our tongues meet and my hands move to her lower back and head. My hair tentacles also embrace her upper back, brushing her skin as I enjoy the warmth and dampness of her kiss and body. _She wasn't kidding when she said as soon as I wake up-_ "Wait..." I exhale between kisses while pushing her away by the shoulders, my head looking around the room in slight confusion. "Where's Callie and Marie?"

"They went to go get refreshments for the mini fridge and confirm the plan with the others," she whispers while trying to continue our kiss but my hand moves in front of my mouth to stop her. She pulls back sharply and growls in frustration and anger. "What's the plan?" I ask quickly, trying to get all of the information I need before she decides to bite and to my surprise, she responds. "We're having a brief moment to ourselves until the afternoon. Then we go and do some turf wars with the others later in the day. Any other questions?"

My face is already smiling as I bring her back towards me with hands and hair tentacles, kissing her gently a few times before answering. "No...talking times over..." I whisper as we lose ourselves again, my mind relaxing further when I feel her body connect with mine. Unbidden, dark thought start to surface to break my mood. _Will I ever get tired of this? Will she ever get tired of this? We can't make this last-_

I crush the thoughts before more can form, retorting to myself angrily. _So what!? So what if we decide to stop! This was never about sharing ink! This is about me making her feel special and helping her with her troubles! THAT is the reason I do this!_ Scurry pulls back slightly with a gasp and a look of concern, her eyes boring into mine with a look of understanding. "Dark thoughts again?" she whispers as she waits patiently for an answer, my response to sigh and nod. _She knows me too well..._ "Yeah...it's getting better but...I just doubt so much...maybe it's just me-"

"We all have doubt, Kosh," she whispers as she uses her forehead to move my head up to her for more brief kisses. "It's what we do about it that matters...so what are you gonna about it?" she whispers as a short groan escapes me at her obvious challenge. "Is that a serious question or are you asking for something?"

"A little of both..." she whispers playfully, already stopping the conversation again with kisses. My eyes close as instincts take over, my body pushing us upright as my hands and hair tentacles remain on her body. I don't bother to cover us up as I start to move my hips and express myself, her body slightly heating up and dampening as we get into the mood. _Just do what feels natural...that's all they ever ask for..._ Scurry breaks the kiss unexpectedly, both of us gasping lightly at the sudden interruption. "How come you won't let me be on top? You don't trust me?" she asks sadly and I chuckle lightly but gasp from the feeling of her body pressing against mine. "Didn't that happen yesterday? In the bathroom?"

She blushes brightly and blurts out an answer. "Well...so it did...but that doesn't count! We didn't get to finish-" I chuckle midway through her statement, her face becoming irritated at me laughing before I lay down on the bed and put my hands on her hips. "Have it your way...like you always do..." I whisper sarcastically as she grins down at me, surprising me by moving her body to rest on mine while tightening her grip on my neck. I grunt when she applies too much pressure to her grip. "Now we're even..." she whispers, already kissing me further as our bodies start to move again. _I want their approval...that's what changed...I never had to prove anything before..._ My arms move forward and push Scurry onto her back, my body moving on top of her as I break the kiss but a look of embarrassment now on my face. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to do that...I'll-" I stutter as I try to move us back but she gives me a smile and wraps her legs around mine, pulling me towards her and keeping me in place. "Maybe I don't want it the way I want it all the time...maybe I want you to show me otherwise..." she whispers as my face moves to surprise, Scurry looking at me with a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Jeez...and here I thought you could figure it out...anything else I have to spell out for you?" she gloats in a playful challenge, my face smiling in rueful acceptance as I move to kiss her.

"Nothing comes to mind..."


	33. Surprises

**Chapter XVIII: Surprises**

* * *

We both moan as I feel my ink leave my body and spread around Scurry's insides, the dampness and heat intoxicating in their intensity as her hands dig into my back and her own ink coats my skin. My body finally gives out and my muscles relax as I collapse on top of her, her soft moan into my right ear accompanying her body relaxing under me. "Did I...make you...feel better?" I pant into her ear as my arms keep holding her, her cheek starting to rub against mine as she pants into my ear. "Yeah...I don't think...we've ever been that...expressive before..." she whispers through breaths as she continues to rub my cheek before moving to nibble my ear. "Were you...keeping count?"

"Was I...supposed to...?" I retort as she giggles into my ear, leaning in closer to whisper. I blush slightly at what she says. "Refreshments arrived five minutes ago..."

I groan as I pull myself slightly away and looks around me, spotting Callie and Marie sitting at the table nearby watching us intently and giving me a gentle wave when they notice my gaze. "Um...sorry for not-" I start to say before Marie shakes her head dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about it. We didn't want to interrupt your...time together."

"Besides!" Callie interjects with a wide grin, the hungry look on her face frightening in its intensity. "It just means that when you're with any of us, you have to match your performance." _Zapfish, what did I just unleash?_ I sigh gently before looking back down at Scurry who's grinning up at me. "Were you in on this?" I ask her groggily as she giggles in response, my shoulders sagging slightly at being played again. _I can't let my guard down for a second..._ I slowly let myself lie back on Scurry as I rub her hair tentacles. "I really have to remember that I have three of you out to get me at once-"

"Four," Marie corrects from her seat, my head jerking towards with a look of surprise and confusion. "Four!? What do you mean four!?" I blurt as she smiles warmly at me, Callie grinning as they both look at each other. "You made an...impression...on a certain octoling so we decided to have a talk with-"

I'm already moving off Scurry and onto the edge of the bed, ignoring the conclusion of Callie's explanation as Scurry groans in annoyance from our disconnection. Something was making me panic and I try to calm myself down even as I blurt a response. "Wait, who!? The only octolings I've come into contact with are Drosyn and..." My face moves from surprise to shock as the realization hits home, my mind filling in the answers and recoiling. _That's impossible! She hates my guts! This has gotta be a...joke? No, they don't look like they're joking..._ "So...how did you..." I ask as calmly as possible but the tremor in my voice gives away my panic. Marie nods her head at something behind me and it takes me a few seconds to work up the courage to turn my head to the left, the form of Flurry in her combat fatigues leaning against the far wall coming into my peripheral vision.

I immediately surge from my seat in shock and sprint towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and taking a seat on the toilet while putting my head in my hands. My eyes screw shut as I try to calm down and slow my rapid breathing, my own panic choking in its intensity. _OK, calm down! There's a reasonable explanation for all this!...but I don't know if I can handle this!_ My panic stays despite my efforts to blot it out and when I move my hands away from my face, they're shaking uncontrollably. _Flurry is a total stranger and was my enemy just yesterday!_ "Kosh, you really need to keep some level of observation when you're deep in thought," Marie states as my head snaps up, the bathroom door closing behind her with a gentle click as the lock engages. I'm still wrestling with my irrational terror and confusion as I stare at her, her body moving to sit on the counter with a look of concern. "I don't...even know where to begin with this-" _  
_

"Which is why I'm here to bring you up to speed but the others want to hear this too," she states gently as she moves towards me and places her hands on mine. The shaking only marginally diminishes. "Kosh, I know it's a bit strange right now but give us the chance to explain first," she states in a calm and comforting tone as she gently holds my hands, my instincts still screaming for me to pull away and find a place to run and hide. "I know it's scary...all of this is...but...put on a brave face...for me?" she whispers while pulling me to my feet by my hands, her arms moving under my arms to gently hold me. My arms move frantically around her as I try not to start sobbing. "I just...so much keeps changing in my life...I don't know if I can keep up...and this terror...I'm...I'm afraid of her..." My body starts shaking slightly in emphasis as my mind keeps surging in different directions. _Was this even my life anymore? Do I control anything that happens?_ Marie rubs my hair tentacles and back gently as she hushes me. "Why is this so unsettling for you?"

"This is...different...I barely know her...and she kinda...splatted me..." I whisper, Marie continuing to rub my back and hair tentacles as I feel her nod. "And we have the reasons you need to help cope but the others want to know too. What do you need to handle this?" she asks gently but the firmness in her tone chilled me. _There's no way out of this...she won't let me..._ My eyes close as the tears start to flow, my body no longer able to hold back my sobs as I break down from fright. Marie holds me gently and tries to comfort me but it does little to stop my tears. Slowly but surely, I get a hold of myself and give a shuddering exhale, my body starting to shake less before I ask for something simple.

"Clothes would be nice..."

* * *

I take twenty minutes in the bathroom to make myself presentable, taking an ink bath and relieving myself on the toilet in solace. Marie had asked if I needed her help to prepare but I smiled at her and told her no, asking her instead to get the others prepared for the long talk we're about to have. As I throw on my shirt and shorts, I take the time to look into the mirror as my thoughts keep tumbling in my head, seeing a worried inkling I barely recognize staring back at me. _Everything keeps changing...It'll always keep changing...and I'll just have to do what Marie asks and face it..._ Exhaling one last time for good measure, I straighten my posture and try to look confident as I open the bathroom door.

My confidence doesn't last beyond the bathroom door as four pairs of eyes turn to regard me, Scurry, Marie, and Callie trying to look comforting while Flurry stares at me with cold malice. I try to turn back around to hide in the bathroom but Marie gives a stern order for me to stay put, my body instinctively obeying her command as she also orders me to take a seat next to Flurry. My body doesn't want to obey her second order but I force myself to, my body starting to shake again as I sit next to a squid a head taller than me. _Brave face. Brave face. Brave face-_

"You are frightened of me," Flurry states flatly as I sit down next to her, my body still shaking slightly before I can stop myself. I feel sweat start to gather on my face as I stutter, "Well...yeah...I...guess I am..." One of her fingers touches my forehead, pressing against it to turn my head to look at her. _She could splat me if she wanted to and the others might allow it...they already have before-_ "I'm not going to harm you without good reason. You may calm down now," she states in a soothing voice with a calm face, her purple eyes still cold and menacing but slowly changing. _Wait, what?_ I look around at the others sitting at the table who have looks of amusement on their faces and _w_ hen I look back, Flurry is smiling broadly at me. "They put you up to that, didn't they?" I ask gently as the tension leaves me to be replaced with irritation. "Yes...I did agree to act the part for their...amusement. I apologize if it offended you-"

"Offended!? You scared the ink outta me! That was not funny on my end!" I exclaim angrily to everyone in the room, the others breaking into laughter at my expense. _I get the feeling they enjoy making me squirm..._ "Can we not joke like this anymore, please!? I don't think I can handle the mental strain-" I stammer, the three at the table looking at each other with smiles. "You can put an end to this, Kosh," Marie states darkly, gesturing at me with a hand as I shake my head in response. "OK, I'm sorry for lying to you all! I won't do it again, I promise!" I quickly blurt, the three of them looking at each other with smiles and nods. Callie giggles at me and forms a response. "See? If you had just said that before, you'd have saved yourself a lot of pain." _If I'd known they would go this far, I'd have never even **considered** lying to them! _

"Your mates are a very...unusual group..." Flurry states diplomatically as she rises from her seat on the bed and starts heading for the door, my body sighing as she leaves. _Thank goodness...it was all a joke at my expense...that makes sense..._ My relief is short-lived when she stops halfway through her journey, turning her head towards me and regarding me with her warm gaze. "You're accompanying me, Kosh," she states and I look back over at the table to see no quarter, the three of them giving me nods of confirmation. _Brave face. Brave face. Brave face._ I try to smile but manage only a neutral expression as I stagger to my feet and start to move after Flurry who waits until I'm standing next to her before continuing her exit path. _She's much more intimidating up close-_

"You're still afraid of me," she states as she walks through the hallway door, moving a few steps forward to turn around and stare at me in her attempt at comfort. My head nods slightly as she smiles at me, her teeth sharp in a grimace that causes me to start shaking again. _What is it about her that makes me so afraid? Is it because she splatted me?_ She notices me shaking and closes her mouth, hiding her teeth as she nods lightly. "I won't hurt you, Kosh. What happened was all part of the act," she states evenly but my body isn't convinced, my limbs now froze in place as I will them to move. _It has to be something...something is causing this to happen...but what?  
_

My limbs become my own as I realize the source of my unease, the face going from neutral to angry in seconds. "You...why did you kidnap my sister?" I growl at her, my teeth starting to bar before I can throttle my anger back under control. _My body wasn't shaking out of fear...I was getting angry because it saw a threat..._ Flurry closes her eyes as she walks away and leans against the far wall with her arms across her chest. "Would you believe me if I said I didn't have anything to do with that?" she calmly states, my hands starting to clench and relax as unbidden waves of anger start to slip through. "Then who did!?" I spit at her, her face moving to surprise at the amount of hostility in my voice before she smiles and shakes her head. "You care for them so deeply that threatening their safety alone will make you perform heroic feats beyond what normal squids perform. Do you not see the danger of-"

"I don't care about the danger! I don't care about the old war between our kinds or the conflict and I never did! All I want is to live in peace and you and others like you keep standing in my way!" I shout angrily as my breath starts to accelerate and my chest heaves, my hands moving in front of my face to see them shaking. Shock crosses my face when I see them change into longer tentacles, panic flooding me as Flurry remains neutral. "The Kraken's rage is a dangerous thing, Kosh. If you let it consume you, you'll lash out at friend and foe alike. That won't do much to aid the ones you care about," she says calmly as my chest heaves again. I start to hyperventilate, falling to my hands and knees as I struggle to breathe. "Why are...you...doing this..." I gasp as my vision starts to blur and a roar of pain escapes me as my body starts to swell.

"You have something within you that is both great and terrible. You need people like me to guide you in the right direction," she states as I hear her push away from the wall and move towards me. _I can...I can see her...but I'm not looking at her..._ I try to look up at her but can't raise my head, my breathing still rapid through my teeth as my skin and muscles start to sting. A massive impact hits me on the head, slamming me into the ground with a loud thud and causing my vision to black out momentarily. Exhaustion overwhelms me as I close my eyes, a warbling voice following me into unconsciousness.

"That's it...just relax...it'll be OK now..."

* * *

My eyes open groggily to the sight of a ceiling, my hands moving to the back of my head to rub a tender and stinging area but slowly becoming better. The feeling of ink on the back of my body helps me understand where I am. _I'm in an ink bath..._ _What happened?...I remember going into the hallway...Flurry was there...and...I don't remember..._ "Memory loss is common given your situation," a stern voice states from my left, the voice coming from my left by my vision blocked by the tub around me. My arms slowly pull me out of the tub as my heads look around, Flurry sitting on the toilet in her fatigues with her arms folded across her chest again. She regards me with a neutral expression but with something else. "You really don't know anything about the Kraken gene, do you?" she questions, my face looking at her in confusion. _The what?_ "Uh...I've never heard of it..." I say as the inside of my mouth starts to sting, my hand rubbing my cheeks to try and ease the pain. She nods her head as she notices me tonguing my mouth. "That pain is a byproduct of your teeth sharpening. Your mouth will feel sore for a few minutes until it heals."

"Wait, stop...how do you know all this? What's happening to me?" I blurt and instinctively look at my hands to make sure they aren't trying to change into tentacles. _I seem...in control right now...I think..._ When I look up, Flurry extends her left arm towards the bathroom door, the limb shifting into a long, black tentacle that shuts the bathroom door and engages the lock before returning to a hand. Her gaze looks at her own limb as she clenches and relaxes a normal hand and my body involuntarily moves to the far end of the tub at the scene. My face is now part shock and part surprise. "I'll give you the short version. Certain squids are born with this Kraken gene, a genetic defect that allows a squid with it to change into a Kraken without specialized gear," she states calmly as her hair starts to grow wildly. Her entire body shifts as limbs transform into long tentacles, a black Kraken now filling the confined space of the room. One of her large eyes stares at me with something akin to amusement before she transforms back into an octoling, her body exhaling as she crosses her arms again. "As you can see, we are similar and bear the same gene. I want to help you control it."

"Why?" I ask with hostility, not quite trusting her but confused as to why. She smiles sadly at me in response. "You're the only male squid I've met with the Kraken gene. Those with it are meant to be female but you...you are the only male I've met in my entire life to have it..." Flurry looks down sadly at her hand while she continues, my face softening at her internal suffering. "I didn't even know I had it until I changed for the first time. I had to master it right then and there or risk the rage consuming me. There was no alternatives or mentors to help me." Her head gently rises to look at me, our eyes locking as she gazes at me with sorrow. My guard rises again before I let the sorrow in. _Don't let your guard down...not yet..._ She sighs in response to my continued expression of hostility, nodding sadly to herself. "I see...I'm getting ahead of myself...We first need to get everyone on the same phase of this story before proceeding."

"Wait, hold on. Before we even start any of that-" I start to blurt while rising out of the tub, stopping to look down and quickly sinking back into the ink in embarrassment. _I'm naked...this just got awkward..._ "At the very least, answer me this if nothing else," I say evenly from the tub, a grim smile on her face as she folds her arms over her chest and waits for my question. "What do you plan to do now?" I ask gently and to my surprise, her eyes close as she starts to laugh, the laughter increasing in volume until it fills the bathroom. Her hands move to wipe away tears from her eyes before she speaks again. "Sorry...I just...you got over that so quickly and...it's adorable is all..." she stutters with amusement as she gets up off the toilet.

Something about her tone makes me feel more embarrassed, my body sinking further into the ink and my face blushing as my eyes become level with the rim of the tub. Her arms shift into tentacles again, the black limbs wrapping around my shoulders and lifting me gently out of the tub as she smiles. "No need to be embarrassed," she says playfully, lifting me effortlessly towards her and placing me on my feet with a widening smile. "If we're to...be together...you have to learn to accept this..." she whispers while nodding her head towards her arms that release my shoulders. She gently rises to leave but turns me around with her right hand as she passes, turning back towards me at the door. The toothy smile on her face freezes me in place as cyan ink starts to pool on the floor beneath me.

 _Yeah, now I'm scared..._


	34. Legacy

**Chapter XIX: Legacy**

* * *

"Kosh, why did you think that you could get away with not apologizing?" Marie asks sternly from her spot at the dining table, every squid who's eating breakfast with us staring at me for an answer. _Well, that's not frightening at all..._ "I don't even know anymore...I just hope that was the end of it..." I say while shrugging my shoulders, looking to my right quickly to see Scurry grinning at me before turning my head back to Callie and Marie. "That...was the end of it...right?" I ask cautiously while looking among the group. Scurry turns my head back towards her with a hand under my chin, my mouth opening as she puts sushi in it. "Yes, Kosh. That was the end of any repercussions you'll incur for lying to us," Marie states while moving sushi to her mouth with chopsticks.

"Remind me not to make your mistakes, Kosh," Sheldon interjects from across the table while Drosyn brushes his head and feeds him a sushi, causing me to laugh and choke slightly on my own sushi. _I don't envy his situation now...I think I'm about to learn very soon how it feels..._ I swallow my sushi before answering and move to clean up the mess on the table I made. "Well...someone has to I guess...might as well be me..." I say lowly before Scurry punches me on the right shoulder playfully, causing me to groan and rub my shoulder. "Quit being a downer! You made a big error and paid for it!" she exclaims with finality, my shoulders shrugging again as I accept her words. "But did it have to involve me getting splatted? And couldn't you have just told me to?-"

"An apology is less valuable if you do what we tell you to do. We wanted to teach you a lesson not to lie to us... _did_ you learn your lesson?" Marie says gently but with an undertone of threat, my head nodding swiftly to Marie. "Yeah...I'm definitely staying on your good sides now..." I state before looking to my right, Scurry growling at me before I elaborate on my answer. "And I'm...not going to lie anymore...ever..." I continue and her face moves from anger to a grin as she pats me on the head gently, my head turning back to the others who look at me with a mixture of amusement and pity. I turn my head to look at Flurry on my left, noting the dozens of plates in front of her now empty in less than two minutes. _Well, at least **that** isn't surprising. _"How are you...liking inkling society-"

"It's pretty nice so far," she interrupts gently while patting her face with a napkin. "Good food, kind squids, limited violence...I see now why most octolings leave Octaria to find mates in Inkopolis." Flurry grins and glances across the table at Drosyn, my gaze following hers to see Drosyn looks down slightly in embarrassment. "Which reminds me..." she states playfully but with growing sternness, one of her arms moving over my shoulders uncomfortably and bringing me and the chair I'm sitting in closer to her. _I'm gonna have to get used to that..._ "Do you want the long version or the short version of my backstory?"

I look around the table before asking the group if they want to hear the long version. A few squids raise their hands, most notably Marie, Sheldon, and Marian. _The smart ones...wow, that sounds insulting..._ I shake my head before answering her question. "Well...go with the short version...for courtesies sake..." I state and her arm doesn't leave my shoulders as she begins. "Well...the short version is that I'm no longer a military ruler, that I was being manipulated, and that the entire scenario was orchestrated."

I can't help but sigh involuntarily at the words since it sounded oddly familiar. _This again? How many times are we having our feet swept out from under us?_ My face likely mirrored my thoughts because when I come back to the room, everyone is looking at me in irritation. "Oh, I get it...I said that aloud, didn't I..." I say glumly as the others nod their heads, Scurry once again punching my arm playfully but with a little more force.

"Well before you...interrupted...let's start from the beginning..." Flurry states while her other hand morphs into a tentacle and brushes my hair tentacles. My eyes start to close before I can stop myself and I move her tentacle off my head with a grunt of frustration. She laughs briefly at my embarrassment before coming back to the conversation at hand. "You all know the story of Octavio. In terms of octarian society, his position as a ruler was...unorthodox-"

"Males don't rule in octarian society. The position is reserved for strong females, mainly octolings," Drosyn interrupts while rubbing Sheldon's head, Sheldon sighing happily with closed eyes. _I gotta be on guard...that could happen to me if I'm not careful..._ Sure enough, Flurry tries to rub my hair tentacles again but I stop her again, telling her to focus on the story. There's a hint of anger directed at me as she continues. "Octavio tried to usurp old tradition and paid the price. It is with deep regret that we couldn't help you against him but...we were deluded at the time-"

"So that ultimatum back at Cephalon...wasn't your doing?" Scurry asks, my head turning first to her and then back to Flurry who nods grimly. "No. The ones who attacked you were rogue elements under the command of another. We only learned that after sifting through the remains of Octarian Point Fortress." _Zapfish...we destroyed the evidence..._ "From what we can gather from the ruins, the fortress was being used as a research lab. The computer systems didn't give us much but what it gave us was-"

"They were looking for a particular gene code..." Scurry finishes glumly and I try not to look sad. _She hasn't told anyone what happened to her at that place..._ "They kept calling me a secondary source when I was there...and they took an ink sample from me...I think they wanted Kosh instead-"

"Because of the Kraken gene..." I finish for her, the realization causing me to dip my head in sadness. _She suffered for no reason...they wanted my genes, not hers...she was just the bait..._ Flurry continues the line of thinking. "That also why this same rogue element laid siege to my fortress as well. They didn't want to usurp me, instead content with my capture to extract the Kraken gene from a fully developed squid. But thanks to your friends," she states while nodding to Sheldon and Drosyn, "they didn't obtain it."

"Who?" I find myself asking, a hint of anger in my voice as I start shouting. "Who gains from all this!? We're talking about the destruction of an entire territory and the murder of countless squids! What's there to gain from all this destruction and deception!?" I shout as my breathing starts to accelerate and I feel my hands start to shift into tentacles. Flurry brushes my head with her hair tentacle, my hands changing back to normal as I close my eyes and allow myself to be comforted. "I won't hold you in suspense. Dr Shokushu orchestrated everything; Octavio's rise, your intervention, my leadership...everything so that he can obtain the materials he needs for his experiment."

The room goes silent at the accusation, Marie the first to ask a question moments later. "How do we know he's involved? We saved him from-"

"From a rogue force that he commanded to gain your trust or act as bait," Flurry finishes grimly, Marie looking at her angrily before lowering her gaze slowly. "We've all fell into his designs up to this point and now, he's created an army of doppelgangers based on Scurry's gene code." Scurry growls and quickly blurts a retort. "That can't be right! I don't have the Kraken gene or anything beyond what an inkling has! How can he-" she shouts but falls short, my head turning slowly to her as we both hit upon the same conclusion. _We share ink often...enough for me to leave an imprint on her...that they extracted when she was captured..._

I quickly look to Marie in further horror as another revelation strikes, a few tears gathering in her eyes as her head slowly rises. "I...I let the Doctor...return to Octaria...to help evacuate civilians..." she stammers, my body surging out of my seat and a grim expression on my face as my hands throw off the arm on my shoulders. Others rise to stop me thinking that I'm going to hurt her but I reach Marie first, wrapping my arms around her as she starts to cry. "It's alright, Marie...we didn't know...it's OK..." I say gently, the others calming down when they realize I'm not going to hurt her. "No, it isn't OK! I let him run free and because of him, so many octarians have died! I...did something terrible!" she shouts as she starts to sob, my arms moving her towards me as she moves her arms around my neck desperately. Callie is there as well, wrapping her arms around both of us gently as she adds to the conversation. "Marie, we aren't perfect...we don't expect you to be right all the time-"

"I...I can't! I can't keep doing this! Every decision I make causes suffering! I...I just can't..." she exclaims between sobs, my hand brushing her hair tentacles gently to try and calm her down as I gently kiss her forehead. "We need you to lead us...and I know we won't always make the right call...but just know that no matter what decision you make...we'll stand with you..." I say to her as the others move from their seats, dozens of squids moving to join the embrace as Marie slowly calms down. "We can't run from this, Marie...and we'll probably make more mistakes in the long run...but the Cap'n taught us to fix the mistakes, not run from it...so let's fix this..." I say to her and Marie nods her head stiffly as she sniffles a few times. Callie is on her left producing a napkin and wiping her face clean. "C'mon, Marie...it isn't the end of the world...and since when did you focus so much on the downsides?" she says to Marie playfully, causing Marie to chuckle slightly despite her sadness.

"Hate to interrupt but...can we stop now?" Whinter says with a groan as he tries to move away but can't. "It's kinda getting warm and well...I'm getting squeezed here..." he gasps and the group laughs as everyone releases the hug, Marian shouting at us as soon as we let go. "That and we have a match in ten minutes so we need to go!"

Logan, Vadelma, and Whinter look down at their squid phones in surprise before grabbing their gear near the table and saying quick goodbyes as they rush out of the door, Team Vitamin Ink doing the same. Sheldon and Drosyn leave as well at a slow pace and say goodbyes of their own as they head out the front door to Sheldon's workshop. _Sheldon has the day off until the rest of Team Cyan Kraken is available-  
_

Black tentacles wrap around my body and pull me away from Marie, Flurry pulling me into her chests and a gasp escaping me as she squeezes the air out of me. "Um...that's a bit...sudden...and-" I stammer before one of her hands goes over my mouth. "Shh...no need to say anything...just relax..." she whispers as she turns away and heads for the hallway, some of my earlier panic returning as I try to move. _My feet aren't on the ground and her tentacles are keeping my arms pinned to my sides._ My eyes look to Callie, Marie, and Scurry who are a step ahead but they look back with smiles that cause me to struggle further. "Well...there was one...detail...I...may have left out-" Marie starts to say but Scurry interjects. "We agreed to let Flurry make you into her...what did you call him?" Scurry asks playfully, Flurry responding from behind my head. "It's a tradition that when an octoling engages a male, they make him into a Kurippu Shokushu, a tentacle clipper."

Her hand moves from my mouth to brush my hair tentacles as she continues, my breath trying to remain calm as I'm carried onwards. "In short, I want to make him willing to cut one of my tentacles so I can have children of my own-" _Oh right, that's how they reproduce...makes sense...wait, hold on!_ "So you're doing this..so that I'm willing to cut one of your tentacles so that you can have little octolings?" I repeat in confusion but I can't hide the panic from the massive spike in responsibility. I continue the line of thought with a rueful smile. "So that means...that eventually...Sheldon will cut one of Drosyn's tentacles and have an octoling to raise?"

"More or less...and speaking of which..." she whispers as she leans her head over my shoulder, whispering something into my ear that causes me to jerk my head to the right with a look of surprise and shock. Flurry gives me enough freedom of movement to look at her, a smile on her face as she nods. "Really!? All this time she was-"

"How could you not have known? What did she tell you?" she says with a grin of sharp teeth, her head tilting to the right as I try to absorb the information. Flurry doesn't let me answer further, bringing me closer to her face and touching my nose to hers in an intimate gesture. "How do you think I knew to stay out of your way and to keep my forces away?" she whispers as she moves my head over her shoulder to whisper into my ear. "She told me...and she recommended you..."

My brain tries to catch up but panics instead. _Drosyn is a double agent! And they're sisters! Flurry knew about everything we were doing and that's why Sheldon knew where to go! Drosyn led him right to her!_ "You look upset, Kosh...relax..." she whispers further as she moves me to face her and kisses me gently on the forehead, my emotions now confused between panic and embarrassment. "That's all in the past now...what matters is the now..."

She turns me around again in her grip and presses me against her chest as the others stare at me with smiles. I catch enough of their meaning to laugh sarcastically and shake my head. "I was the only one that didn't know-"

"Well...you didn't really ask, Kosh. You had other things to worry about," Marie states while Callie and Scurry giggle to themselves and nod, causing me to sigh deeply and roll my eyes. "So all that bit about you being the enemy-"

"All an act to avoid suspicion while I collected information on our true enemy. Hiding in plain sight," she interrupts while rubbing my head again, my eyes closing as the sensation feels less uncomfortable. "But why couldn't I know?...What was the reason I was left out of the loop?..." I whisper as I feel myself calm down significantly, my eyes opening slowly with a happy sigh as Scurry moves forward and brushes me on the head lightly. "You were being watched like the Cap'n said. The Doctor was monitoring your movements for the right moment to capture you and we had to make sure you didn't give anything away."

"Anything else I don't know that you all know?" I say bitterly, all of them looking at me in confusion before I apologize for the rudeness. Callie grins at me as we move on, our room's auto door opening with a hiss as we enter. "Nope! That was the big secret and might I say it feels _much_ better having it out of the bag now." _Callie is the **worst** at keeping a secret! _I turn my head to the right towards Flurry and ask her gently, "Can you...put me down now?"

Her response is to giggle and tighten her grip slightly around me, my head looking to the left but unable to see from that other direction. When I turn forward, I get my answer as we approach the bed.

"But we haven't gotten to the next part yet...you still have to share ink with me..."


	35. Wounded

**Chapter XX: Wounded**

* * *

Flurry's tentacles start to undress me while carrying me towards the bed, clothes falling off my body and tossed to the floor. Scurry, Callie, and Marie rush by on my right and take their seats at the table, giggling to themselves and watching us with interest and grins of anticipation. "Can you at least put me down please?" I say with irritation to Flurry who flicks her tentacles in response, sending me flying through the air momentarily before I land face first on the mattress. I flip myself over quickly when I land and glance at the squids at the table in desperation only to find them pointing back at Flurry.

My head snaps the other direction but too slowly as she rears over me, pinning me to the bed with her limbs as some of her tentacles start to unbutton her fatigues and take off her beret. "You can feel it too, can't you...I can smell it...the urges, the needs..." she whispers as she puts her head on my shoulder and sniffs gently. "You can't hide it from me...you want to give in as much as I do...so why hold back?" she whispers seductively, my eyes closing as I exhale from the growing feeling of need. _She knows...she understands...but-_ "I don't think I'm ready for this..."

Her limbs loosen their grip slightly as she pulls back and looks at me in confusion, some of her cheer now lost at my words. "You...aren't ready for this?...what do you mean?" she asks as I open my eyes and avert my gaze to the left in reluctance. "My body is ready but...my heart isn't into this...I barely know you and...I didn't get a choice..." _She's right about the urges and I can feel them but...I can't share ink just because of that..._ I gulp lightly before saying more. "And...if we're having octolings...I don't think I can-"

Flurry is already moving off me to sit at the edge of the bed, her tentacles redressing herself as she lifts me to sit next to her. "Perhaps I was...a bit too forceful-"

"You stripped me without my consent and tried to tempt me into unleashing urges that I'm not comfortable with...yeah, a bit too forceful..." I whisper glumly and turn my head to look at her as she dips her head down slightly. "Let's...at least talk about this..." I whisper but start to feel regret when I see her sad. _I'm not saying no to her but...let's talk first..._ Despite my thoughts, we sit there in silence for a few seconds and every time I look at her, her face is staring straight ahead. I look at the others and am not surprised to see hostile expressions of disapproval. Suddenly, I get up off the bed and turn to walk back towards the door with an awkward smile on my face, four sets of eyes following me as I leave. "Can you excuse me for a second? I'll be in the hallway but I need to call someone."

"Who are you-" Flurry tries to ask but I'm already through the door and closing it, reaching down for my squidphone but groaning when I realize I left my squidphone in the room. _Along with my clothes..._ When I open the door, my pants are held in one of Flurry's tentacles as she offers it to me with an amused grin, my head nodding in thanks as I grab the squidphone out of the right pocket. I wait until she closes the door before quickly moving my to the far wall and placing my back to it while browsing my squidphone contacts list for Sheldon's number. It rings twice in my ear before I hear him respond, "Kosh? You need something?"

"I need some quick advice," I blurt and apologize a second later for the slight panic in my voice. "OK, first of all, did you already know Drosyn and Flurry are sisters?" There's a brief pause on the line before he says yes and a groan escapes me at the irony. _He knows too!? Was I **really** the only one who didn't know!? _"Second and I know this is a bit...personal...but how did your sharing ink go with Drosyn?"

He doesn't answer initially because he laughs briefly a moment later, the laughter embarrassing me further. "Hold that thought. I think there's someone here who's more qualified to talk about this," he states as I raise my brow in confusion before Drosyn's voice replaces Sheldon. "So you need advice?"

"I do. I know it's a bit much to ask but why do octolings share ink?" I blurt without thinking, Drosyn laughing loudly and immediately through the line for a second. My embarrassment grows further and I start doubting this idea until she answers. "Why does any squid share ink nowadays? To forge a bond and consummate a relationship. Is there...a problem with Flurry?" she asks with a hint of threat that's plainly apparent. I force myself not to sigh at her bold challenge. _Is this an octoling thing? I need to do some research after all of this..._ "No...it's just...this is _very_ sudden and...I'm not used to skipping the knowing each other phase and going straight to sharing ink...is that normal to octolings?"

Her answer is in an even tone that's immediate and uncomfortable for me to hear. "In our society, the females are the dominant ones in a relationship and the males are the submissive ones. It's normal for octolings and my advice is to accept her advances while maintaining your own boundaries. You can spend plenty of time later to get to know each other." There's a brief pause on the line as I absorb her advice but Drosyn asks another question soon after. "Do you care about her?"

"I barely know her...we just met a few days ago...and she splatted me...the most bonding we've done is the Splatfest turf war event but-" I try to say more but Drosyn cuts me off with a giggle that puts me on edge. "So what do you require from her to make this possible?" she interrupts, my head shaking in amusement at her direct approach. It takes me a few seconds to phrase an answer. "I don't really know anymore...so much keeps happening without consent that I don't know what I need-"

"Talk to her and ask her what _she_ needs. That's a good place to start," Drosyn states gently, my head nodding as I understand her advice. _That makes sense...maybe it's better if I satisfy their needs first..._ "Alright...I'll give that a shot...and thanks..." I say with gratitude but she giggles through the line again. "Look over your left shoulder," she commands and my head turns gently to see Flurry standing to my left across the hallway with a knowing smile on her face, a sigh escaping me as I turn my head back to the phone conversation. "Thanks, Drosyn..." I say glumly before hanging up the phone and placing it in the pocket of my pants that Flurry's holding up in front of me. "She called me on her phone and let me listen in...sorry..." she states playfully while offering me the pants that I wave away with a smile. _I'm not gonna like this but..._

"So...what do you want to do?"

* * *

My arms wrap around Flurry's neck as our tongues touch, her body rubbing against mine as she pushes me into bed with her tentacles. I have to move my tongue cautiously to avoid scraping her sharpened teeth as her tongue does the same to avoid my fangs. _Slowly and gently and everyone stays happy..._ One of my hands leaves her neck to touch her chest, the hand sinking into her breast as she pulls away with a smile. "No one has had the courage to touch me like that besides you...how should I punish you for it?" she whispers while kissing my face and my hand moves to her chest in spite, a smile on my face as she gasps from me rubbing.

My hands move back to her back and hair tentacles when she surges forward, her tongue going back into my mouth and mine responding in kind. The move is done too quickly and I accidentally scrape my tongue against her teeth, cyan ink now leaking from the wound as I grunt in slight pain. Despite the pain, I keep her head in place and tongue the inside of her mouth as she does the same. She doesn't let up easily and it takes her a while to stop kissing me before I can speak. "Whatever you're comfortable with...so long as it doesn't splat me..." I whisper jokingly in answer to her previous question, Flurry's broad smile showing her teeth as she leans forward to lick my face aggressively. "It was a trick question...I already said I'm not going to hurt you..." she whispers and quickly moves back to kissing, my arms wrapping around her neck again as she continues to show me affection. "Let me show you...how much I can love you..." she whispers as the starts to rub her body against mine, the movement now making a little more sense. _Octarians are a tactile species and express things physically...if that's the case..._

My body pushes her onto her back, Flurry's body tensing at the sudden move before I crawl to her lower half with a smile. "Let me show you first how much I can love..." I whisper as I move my head to her crotch, my hands opening her legs gently as I lick her. She gives a slight moan as my tongue makes contact. _This escalated quickly..._ Her legs lock around my head to keep me in place as her hands lay on my head, my body twinging slightly in surprise before I calm down and continue licking. She's breathing evenly as I continue and her hands keep rubbing my hair tentacles even as I lick her crotch and thighs. Her limit is reached quickly as she locks her legs and gasp, purple ink spraying onto my face suddenly. _She's very sensitive...that's surprising...  
_

Her legs relax as she sighs happily, her hands moving my head away from her crotch as she lies back with a content expression. I shake my head to get the ink off my face as I move to lay on her, her hair tentacles already wrapping around my body as I align myself. I can't help but smile at her hopeful expression, at odds with her stature and bearing. "Alright, alright...enough playing around..." I whisper as my hands grab her sides and I thrust myself forward, both of us exhaling gently as our bodies connect. One of my hands leaves her side and grabs the blanket under us, my other hand moving her body around as she looks at me curiously. "It's a comfort thing..." I whisper as I put the sheets over us, her face smiling again as I press my body against hers and start to move.

"Is this...how inklings...ah...share ink?" she whispers between gasps as her tentacles and arms pull me closer, my shoulders shrugging in response to her question as our bodies start to sweat from the heat. "Beats me...I've no idea what a normal inkling does..." I whisper, my head shaking to free my hair tentacles from hers and use them to embrace her as she's embracing me. My face cringes slightly when I see that my arms have changed into tentacles as well but Flurry smiles at me when she notices. "Don't be ashamed of it...it's part of you and there isn't a way to fix it...just embrace it..." she whispers while her hair tentacles move my head towards her for more kisses, my mind slowly losing itself to the urges bubbling below my psyche. _I could just give in, just let her have her way..._

I break the kiss a few seconds later and laugh quietly, pushing the urges back as I shake my head once. "Easy for you to say...you have control over your Kraken gene...I just learned I have it..." I whisper as I lean my face closer to hers and lick her cheek, Flurry smiling and giggling at the sudden move. "Teach me how to control it first...then I'll embrace it..." I whisper back to her but the mood shatters when I look at her. Purple ink is on her face from where I licked and her face starts to change to confusion as she sees me panic. _Purple ink!? What the-_ _  
_

I move to sit on the bed to Flurry's disappointment and lick one of my hands, moving it in front of my face to see the purple ink again. I move my hair tentacles to look at them and am shocked not only to see them stained purple but also to have eight instead of two. "Is this...normal!?" I blurt in shock, bringing the rest of my tentacles forward to check but seeing them all have a deep shade of purple, the sight of them unsettling me visibly. _What's happening to me!?_ Flurry hair tentacles pull me towards her gently and place me on top of her as one of the tentacles starts to gently rub my head. I look up to see her face now sad. "Just relax...because your emotions are about to-"

I don't hear the rest as waves of raw emotions start to flood my system, my eyes shutting involuntarily as they barrage my psyche. My thought start to go haywire from the feedback. _What am I Who am I Whats happening You are a sham I am an abomination What have I done Who can you claim to be now I hate everything around me Why am I like this-_ My limbs lose control and I feel myself falling but my fall is stopped by gentle hands and hair tentacles that hold me in an embrace. Tears start to flow down my face uncontrollably as my body starts to shake from the mental assault but a calm voice cuts through my rampant thoughts temporarily. "You'll be OK...you can survive this...the rest of us have to...you can too..." the voice says but the thoughts keep coming unabated. _You shared ink with your own sibling You let your brother die You killed innocents You're a monster You're arrogant and deserve nothing-_

My breathing starts to hasten as I try to get myself together only to be replaced with a loud roar of pain as something pokes painfully against my back. My body is turned over as I feel skin tear, something ripping from my back as ink sprays onto the bed from the wound. My roar stops as soon as it begins, a low moan of pain escaping me as my body goes limp again from the trauma. _It hurts...it hurts so much..._ "What's-" I start to say before stopping when I hear my own voice, a low rumble that confuses me further. _My voice is different...is that my voice?_ "What just happened?" I ask through the pain, my breathing finally slowing down as the pain slowly subsides. A hand brushes my back but brushes something else, something on my back squirming under the touch. "Now you understand what octoling's feel...why we have to express everything and hide nothing...it can build up into a destructive mental breakdown like you just experienced...you saw what it did to my sister..." My mind recalls the day clearly, a calm assault with little emotions done by surprise. _She went insane...we nearly killed her...and I did that to both of them-_

Sobs start to come from me as the realization hits deeply, Flurry holding me close to her as my thoughts unravel. _We did that to them...to both of them...to the octarians...the Squidbeak Splatoon didn't prevent anything...it just caused more suffering...how can I ever forgive myself?_ Flurry is still brushing my head as she responds to my thoughts. "We can't change what happened, Kosh...but we can change the future...Dros believes you can find a better future for the octarians...and I trust her...I'm starting to believe it too...but what do you believe?"

I'm unable to tell her. My growing sobs drown out any answer I may have given.

* * *

"Everything was so clear before...so simple...but now...I don't know what to believe..." I say glumly to myself while putting on my ink tank and securing my gear to my body. It takes some effort to prevent my hands and legs from turning into tentacles and preventing my new back tentacles from throwing the oppressive weight of the tank off my back. A hand yanks one of my hair tentacles uncomfortably to the right, pulling my head and causing me to grunt in pain. "Get over it, love. You now have tentacles on your back...big deal," Scurry says dismissively with a chuckle as she lets go and I right myself, growling slightly before correcting myself. _These new emotions are gonna take some getting used to also-_

I groan in frustration at Scurry's dismissal of the situation and my erratic reactions. "Say that when _you_ have tentacles on your back and not on your head...zapfish, these things itch..." I state as one of my hair tentacles move to scratch my back under my Hero Jacket Replica, a happy sigh escaping me at the minor relief. Someone else playfully tugs my hair in the other direction, causing me to groan as I'm pulled to the left. "Quit it! My hair tentacles are sensitive!" I growl as Callie chuckles from my left, letting go of my hair tentacle and moving in front of me with a wide smile. "But you're just so...different now! It's one thing to be sharing ink with a fellow inkling but now you're an octarian-"

"Not quite," Flurry interjects from behind me, my spine jolting slightly as her hair tentacles move under my shirt and brush my back playfully. _I still have to get used to that too..._ "He's part octarian but...he's still an inkling...I think..." she states from behind me as my hands try to dislodge the hair tentacles under my shirt, only succeeding in making her pick me up under my arms and turn me around to see her smiling face. A low growl escapes my throat and is mirrored by her as I feel my teeth starting to sharpen, her teeth mirroring the gesture before I exhale to calm myself and drive down the growing anger. _It's a Kraken thing...testing the limits of tolerance..._ "So...did you...receive...anything from me?" I say calmly while forcing my teeth back to the normal beak pattern, my mouth sore from the change but not as painful as before.

"You mean besides your ink in my body? I'm not sure yet. I don't feel any different," Flurry states while starting to tilt me sideways playfully, a deep growl from me causing her to reverse the move but her face still amused as I do so. _I used to be a_ _tenor and now I'm a baritone...it makes me sound a lot like...like..._ The connection finally comes to me and I look at Flurry in shock as Flurry smiles at me and she brings me closer. Flurry's smile widens as she puts my head on her shoulder and whispers in my ear. "So you figured it out finally? I was wondering when you'd make the connection..." she states darkly as she holds me gently in her arms and hair tentacles, my breathing low as she continues. "I don't hold it against you...Dros even helped you do it...don't feel bad..." _They're Octavio's grandchildren! That's how Drosyn knew how to fight the war machine! We murdered their grandfather!_

The realization is too much for me and all I can manage is a sad sigh. "I'm sorry..." I whisper sadly, my arms moving around her as her embrace tightens around my body. "I know..." she whispers back in equal sadness, my hair tentacles also moving to embrace her as she starts to sob. The others hear the noise and join in, their gear pressing against us as we hold each other in a sad embrace.

 _We all lost that battle...no one gained anything from it..._

* * *

 **END OF SCENE II**


	36. SCENE III: Impending

**SCENE III: IMPENDING**

* * *

 **Chapter I: Affinity**

* * *

"You can't outrun me, Kosh!" Whinter shouts from behind me as I desperately attempt to keep running from him but cursing myself for taking a path that had enemy ink on it. _We lured me into a trap!_ Even though I spray a path through the enemy ink, all of my thoughts cease when his Roller catches my right foot and stall my progress long enough for him to roll over me with a roar of triumph. Before I explode into a puddle of dark blue ink, I smile grimly when I hear a Blaster spraying nearby. _It's not just us, Whinter, despite what you think._ My spirit floats above my body before rushing back towards the spawn point, my head shaking lightly to get the access ink off once I'm rebuilt.

"Nice plan but reckless, Kosh. Do any of your plans avoid your suicide?" Flurry gloats over the comm, a smile crossing my face at her snarky response. _She's sounding more like the others each day._ "It worked, didn't it? I knew he couldn't resist an easy target," I retort but already move as I switch off the comm on my headset. The sound of a Splat Charger from nearby causes me to jump behind a nearby wall as a reaction only to realize that Drosyn is engaging the out of position members of Team Splat Jam as planned, her weapon sounding twice with two popping sounds in the distance confirming the kills. "Confirmed splatting of Logan and Vadelma. Moving positions," she states into the comm, my head peeking around from behind the wall and looking for her. I groan to myself as I turn my holo on, chastising myself for recklessly using my eyes instead of the map display. _She was prone on top of one of the towers...that's clever..._

I shut down my map and will myself to calm down as I start to move out of cover cautiously back towards Flurry's position. The sound of an inkstrike takes me by surprise as it whistles through the air, my body lurching back behind the wall as I check my holo again. I frown slightly when I see the dark blue stain where Drosyn and Sheldon had been, both of their icons now crossed out. _Zapfish. Marian was just waiting for them to reveal themselves._ I try to move a few steps out of cover again before someone grabs my shoulders and pulls me back into it, a yelp of surprise escaping me before an E-liter spray splashes where I just was. "One minute left and you're distracted? Disappointing," Flurry voice gloats from above me as I crane my head upwards to look at her. She doesn't let me as she starts to rub my hair tentacles with a hand, my eyes starting to close momentarily from the sensation before I shake my head in protest with a snarl and growl in frustration. "You _really_ can't do that when we're in a turf war. It's really distracting-"

"And I'll continue to do so anyway," she retorts gently as she rubs my hair tentacles briefly, a groan in frustration my response as I bring up the holo to check the map progress. "Let's see...most of the turf is theirs...one minute left...any ideas?" I say aloud while asking her, her response to turn me around. The smile on her face tells me everything I need to know and another sigh of frustration escapes me as I draw the Blaster on my hip. "Fine...we'll do this your way..." She nods and flicks her tentacles upwards, my body sailing over the top of the cover as the Blaster in my hand sprays to cover the top with ink to dive into. An E-liter shot whizzes past my face and I trail the trajectory of the shot, Logan lining up another before Flurry throws a Disruptor Bulb at him, the bulb hitting him in milliseconds as Flurry rushes him with her blaster.

I don't have time to see the outcome because Whinter and Vadelma burst out of nearby dark blue ink puddles with weapons raised that were also on top of the cover. _We stayed still too long._ They don't attack me immediately, instead using the time to cover the top area with ink to give me enough time to dive to the left when my feet touch the ground. The slide across the ink barely gets me out of the way of Vadelma's Luna Blaster spray when she does decide to attack me, the edge of the blast catching my right leg as I grit my teeth against the wound. My dive also brings me right into Whinter's path who's raising his Roller to flick ink at me with another grin of triumph. _I really need to stop getting ambushed-_

Before the ink flies of his Roller, a Sting Ray spray hits him square in the chest and causing him to explode into purple ink. The beam sweeps to try and catch Vadelma and I angle myself while sliding to aim my Blaster at her, loosing off a poorly aimed shot that she evades as she dives off the edge of the platform to avoid the high-pressure spray. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to stop my slide and the trajectory takes me off solid ground and into the open air. Thinking quickly, my head angles upwards towards the ground as I bring my Blaster up to spray ink at the concrete, instincts and training causing me to go inkling form while dodging to the left to avoid a line of ink thrown at me by Marian. I rise out of the ink and dodge backwards as she shouts at me in frustration. "How!? There's no way you could've known I was here!"

I throw myself to the side as she throws another spray of ink at me, smiling darkly as I see someone approach from behind her. _Right where she needs to be._ Before she can attack me with her Slosher again, Flurry's Blaster catches her from behind to explode her into a puddle of purple as Flurry lowers her weapon and walks towards me with a wide smile. "You do realize we lost, right?" she says while stepping over Marian's puddle, the holo on my headset activating at a thought to confirm her assessment with a sigh. _We may have a higher splat count but turf is what wins turf wars..._ The ending whistle sounds moments later with Marina shouting from the loudspeakers. "Match over! Let's see how they did!" A snarl escapes my throat as I holster my Blaster and round on Flurry. "I told you it wouldn't work. Two blasters are too many."

"And I told you that it's non-negotiable. Or did you forget?" she retorts with a snarl, her hair tentacles rising threateningly as I feel my hair tentacles doing the same. Anger floods my system as I feel the urge to strike her. _If I wasn't so attached to her, I'd-_ I throw the thoughts out of my mind with irritation, recognizing it as thoughts of the Kraken's rage as I exhale deeply to calm myself, forcefully lowering my hair tentacles to fall down my back again. In response, Flurry's hair tentacles surge forward and seize my body gently to bring me into her chest with a giggle, my face blushing at my closeness to her. "You didn't try to strike me that time. Your control is improving," she states as she starts to rub my head again, my eyes closing as I let myself calm further with a happy sigh. _This is nice..._

"Sister...if you keep doing that, we'll keep losing matches..." Drosyn says from behind me but I barely hear her as I move my hair tentacles and arms around Flurry who sighs happily as I return her embrace. "He doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he looks like he's enjoying himself-"

"I never really knew my mom..." I hear myself saying sadly, the mood shifting rapidly to sad as I continue. "It was Glag taking care of us...Scurry and I...but then he died...and it ended up being me alone..." Flurry's embrace tightens slightly as she sighs sadly, rubbing my head gently with a hand in understanding. "You aren't alone anymore...so many squids are with you now...and I know that we can't undo what's been done but...we can move on from it..."

"I don't think we can..." I say glumly before growling and shaking my head viciously to throw the thoughts out, angry at myself for having these emotions that I couldn't contain. _These new emotions catch me off guard every time...being an octarian is hard..._ "Sorry about that-" I start to say but Flurry keeps gently rubbing my head, causing me to lose focus again as I start to feel sleepy. "It's OK...a years not a lot of time to learn how to be something else-"

"Kosh having another breakdown again?" Marian asks from behind Flurry who turns me around and turns us towards her, my head dropping slightly from sleepiness before Flurry shakes me to wakefulness. "It's getting better...but I can honestly say I feel...a lot more than before..." I state in embarrassment at allowing Flurry to put me to sleep again. Whinter walks forward with his Roller over his shoulder and interjects from Marian's right with a grin. "Yeah, no kidding. I've never seen you cry this much nor be this happy nor get so angry. It's like you aren't even the same squid from two years ago."

"Well...I'm mostly an octarian now..." I say while moving my hair tentacles off Flurry to show him my eight hair tentacles, my face grinning to reveal sharpened teeth. Suddenly, Flurry turns away from the group and I look up in confusion before she starts walking towards the spawn point, my mind finally remembering what else was happening today. "As fun as this is to talk about everything, we need to get moving now. The others are waiting for us and you know more than anyone that it isn't wise to upset them," Flurry states to me as I exhale in response and nod idly, removing my Hero Headset Replica from my head with a hair tentacle as she carries me away.

"I guess it's time to tell Inkopolis what I've been up to for a year..."

* * *

When we rise out of the spawn point in the Battle Lobby, Scurry, Maria and Callie are standing nearby in their kimonos with looks of frustration that grow worse when they spot us. "What took you guys so long!?" Scurry exclaims immediately with arms crossed, Marie and Callie showing similar expressions of irritation before Flurry answer for me. "Kosh was having difficulty controlling himself again...he started reminiscing about not knowing his mother..." she states gently and the expressions change from irritation to concern. I feel myself get irritated but throttle it down, knowing that Flurry is speaking the truth. _I don't like this feeling of vulnerability..._ "I'm fine and we have somewhere to be. I've held us up long enough," I say casually but Scurry snorts at my brash statement and retorts. "You sure sound alright...I think Flurry is becoming a bad influence on you-"

We all share a brief laugh before Flurry sets me down gently and unlatches her hair tentacles from me, one of the tentacles pushing me forwards playfully as the other three rush forward to hug me tightly. I grunt in pain as Callie exerts too much force again and exhale for her to go easy on her grip, her grip loosening as she giggles sorry. Marie and Callie move to my left and right respectively, Scurry keeping her arms locked around my neck and rubbing her face against mine affectionately. "You spend so much time with Flurry now...when do we get a turn...?" she says in mock seriousness as I groan in frustration. "We spend every afternoon and night with each other...do you want me to spend every waking moment with you?"

"Well...if you don't mind-" she whispers before I push her cheek with mine with a grunt of irritation, her giggle followed by further rubs of my cheek with hers. "You're becoming so needy, Scurry. It worries me," I say gently but she responds by snorting and backing away from me with a wide grin. "If you didn't keep giving into my demands, maybe I wouldn't be."

"We're going to be late, friends. Move and talk," Marie orders, all of us turning towards the exit as a smile crosses my face. _She's the_ _Leader of Inkopolis now...I'm surprised she accepted that burden at all..._ Marie notices my gaze and waves to me gently, Callie jumping on my back with a yell of excitement and pointing over my shoulder to the exit. "Giddy up! We don't want to be late!" she shouts, my smile becoming a grin as I tell her to hold on as my hair tentacles wrap around her back to keep her on. I nod to the others as my body surges forward, my rapid footfalls being echoed as the others bob and weave with me through the crowds out of the Battle Lobby into the streets of Inkopolis.

 _I wonder what personal questions they'll ask me this time?  
_

* * *

"It's Off The Hook, coming at you LIVE from Inkopolis Square!" Pearl states with a bright smile before continuing the broadcast, Marina moving the camera with her controls to encompass the seven of us sitting on the two couches. _This all seems so familiar..._ "Today's show is another special broadcast!" Marina states excitedly as I try to keep smiling and subtly move Scurry's hand off my head. "With us again is the Cyan Kraken, Kosh, now also know as the Magenta Blur! Kosh, good to have you back on the news!" Marina states as I shrug in response with a smile. "It was only a matter of time before I ended up here again. It's never a dull moment for us-"

"Exactly!" Pearl exclaims, almost rising out of her seat before settling with a grin. "You now lead two teams of squids, though some say that team Magenta Splash is not as...skilled...as your main team, Cyan Kraken. Care to comment on that?" I look over at Flurry who gives me a smile and a nod before I turn back to answer Pearl. "We're still getting our team dynamics down and although the teams are similar, Flurry fights in a way that I don't yet understand nor can turf war with easily. It's gonna be a while before we can adapt to it-"

"Years, probably," Scurry interrupts while brushing my head playfully, my head shaking to throw off her hand again. _They know I can't focus when they rub my head yet they still persist...that's not fresh at all..._ "Flurry is new to our group of friends and it'll take years minimum for us to adapt to her way of fighting and...being." Marina chuckles with a hand over her mouth before continuing. "Speaking of Flurry, there's plenty of questions for her as well. Would you mind we jump to them, Kosh?" she asks and I shrug and wave dismissively to indicate that I don't mind. Marina looks down to read the notes on her desk. "Now, where to begin-"

"It would be easier if I tell you the story from the beginning," Flurry states abruptly with a smile while Marina looks up from her notes in surprise at being interrupted. "Um...sure...we can do that..." she says timidly as she looks at Pearl for confirmation but only receives a shrug before she turns back. Flurry continues to smile as she puts a hand under her chin in contemplation. _Try and leave out the more outlandish claims please-_ "To start, my full name is Flurry Jiai Octavio, granddaughter of Daigaku Jiai Octavio-" My hand immediately goes to my face at the bold claim and Pearl nearly leaps out of her seat at the statement before collecting herself. "You mean...DJ Octavio!?...like stole the Great Zapfish DJ Octavio!?" she blurts and Flurry's smile widens as she nods. Pearl asks a follow-up question soon after. "So...is being a military ruler a family tradition or something?"

"That wasn't by choice. My position in the octarian military meant that I had to become a ruler in time. Marina, are you familiar with this?" she states gently but everyone in the room can feel the tension rise as Pearl's head turns towards Marina. Marina fidgets slightly with her hair tentacles before answering. "I...do know this...but I haven't served in a long time-"

To everyone's surprise, Flurry rises slowly from her seat in a threatening manner and begins to cross the room slowly, eventually moving around the desk while Marina springs from her seat in surprise. My body tenses when I see Flurry snarl and square off with Marina, both of their sets of hair tentacles rising in challenge as they growl lowly at each other in a growing confrontation. _Don't do anything rash, Flurry...not on live broadcast..._ The moment stretches for a good minute as everyone tenses, my body starting to sweat underneath my outfit before Flurry slowly lowers her hair and sighs sadly. "I understand why you went left...why you chose to forget about your heritage...and why you now live here in Inkopolis...I'm...I'm sorry for misunderstanding..." she says slowly as she extends her hand slowly forward to offer it to Marina. Marina takes the hand and shakes it immediately with a sad smile of her own. "And I'm also sorry...I shouldn't have abandoned my sisters when they needed me...and now...there's so few of us left..." she says as her head lowers, Flurry nodding in understanding as they share a sad handshake. _No small amount of shame on our part...the Squidbeak Splatoon and even the Octarian Liberation Splatoon has had their fair share of splatting octolings..._

"And that's why we need to stick together...now more than ever...it's time for us to move on..." Flurry states with growing confidence as she gently nods and turns to regard Drosyn and I. Marina follows her gaze and has the same look of apprehension as I look at Scurry who moves off my lap with a grin. To my right, Drosyn puts an awestruck Sheldon on the couch cushions and rises swiftly to move towards Flurry and Marina who are now moving to the centre of the room. I can't help but feel nervous as all eyes fall on me, my body rising slowly to join them. _OK...just do this right and as we practised..._

The four of us form a rough circle and I extend my outermost hair tentacles to hold the tentacles of those to my left and right, our combined hair tentacles forming a circle as one hair tentacle from each of us moves forward to form a plus in the centre. Flurry closes her eyes and we follow her example as she starts the moment. "May this be a new beginning for our kind, not forged in battle but forged in friendship. Let us forget the transgressions of the past and embrace a new future where we are gifted with new lives and new beginnings."

"Woomy..." I whisper in ending, the others repeating the line as our tentacles release and return to their positions on our backs. All of us move forward for a quick embrace with our arms and I'm reminded at that moment that I'm the shortest one there, the top of my head only reaching their chins. _Height is not one of my gifts..._ I have to shake my head again in annoyance when Flurry tries to rub my chin with a hair tentacle and when I open my eyes, I see each of them with their eyes still closed but in tears. Thankfully, the tears are ones of joy instead of sadness. _I've never seen Marina cry...this is a first._

The embrace lasts a few minutes before we finally release each other, hair tentacles wiping away tears as they give sad smiles to each other. Marina looks on the verge of a breakdown as she wipes her tears away. "I never...I never thought you'd just forgive me...thank you..." Marina stutters between sniffles before Flurry puts a hand on her shoulder gently and eventually hugs her again. "Don't thank me...someone else taught me how to love again..." she whispers and I can tell she means me, my face smiling as I blush in response to the sudden attention. Marina exhales a few times and wipes away more tears but doesn't release her hug. "We should get back to the news now," she says before gently trying to pull away, Flurry holding her for a few more seconds before allowing her to return to her seat.

Each of us nods to each other as we move back to our own seats, the other squids in the room surprised and confused at our display as we sit back down. _We didn't actually tell anyone what all that was._ Marina is quick to move on from the topic even though her emotions were still recovering. "Flurry...will you eventually try to lead the octarians again?" she asks with a minor tremor but Flurry laughs at her question, her laughter loud and sincere before she answers. "No, I'm certain I won't bother at all. I'm fine with there just being squids without the labels of octarian, inkling, jellyfish, or whatever else. Since Octaria is now in control of another group, I think it's time we make new traditions," she concludes as Marina smiles broadly in response and seems far more confident. "Is there anything else you'd like to add? We kinda...interrupted your story-"

"Since we decided on new beginnings, my story has become phenomenally shorter. The only thing you need to know now is that Kosh is my Kurippu Shokushu after we resolve the current conflict in Octaria." Marina moves from confidence to bewilderment while Pearl tilts her head in confusion at not understanding what was said. "OK, you'll have to explain that to me and the audience since I don't understand octarians and only a select few who are watching will understand." Pearl waits patiently for a few seconds but has to shake Marina by the shoulder slightly to break her bewilderment, Marina finally stating a response. "He's her husband...or equivalent...but that's...usually reserved for..."

Marina looks at me with growing apprehension as she slowly continues. "That's reserved for male octarians..." All eyes turn on me again and my head looks around in confusion and embarrassment as they wait for my response, my throat dry from all the attention. "I have already...shared ink with Flurry...and it...changed me into this..." I say slowly as I extend my eight hair tentacles and display my teeth for the hosts to see. Marina immediately blurts out a retort. "But that's not how that works! At most, it changes your ink colour or adds minor changes to your behaviour. It's not supposed to change you _into_ an octarian!"

I look to my right at Sheldon, gesturing with a smile and a hand for him to continue as he readjusts his glasses and clears his throat. "That's true, Marina, but Kosh isn't a pure inkling by ink standards. I did some analysis of his ink samples before and after his change-" _He's a researcher as well as an engineer. Why isn't he a doctor by now?_ "-his ink already has octarian genes in its strain but I didn't know what it was at the time. I assume that getting his ink mixed in with Flurry's activated the dormant parts of his genetics that I now recognize as octarian." He turns his head towards me with a wicked smile as he asks his next question. "Kosh, why don't you show them what _else_ you can do?"

Scurry giggles to herself and moves off me again as I stand and slowly move to the middle of the room, embarrassed at being put on the spot but willing to try. "Well if you insist, Sheldon..." I say glumly while mentally preparing to show them, rolling my shoulders and shuffling my legs. _It makes me uncomfortable when I do this._ My eyes close as I concentrate, imagining the image of another squid and letting my body do the rest. With a smile, I open my eyes and do a twirl to my right with my arms outwards, my entire body shifting into a short inkling with pink hair tentacles as I move my right hand to my head to salute Pearl and Marina with a wide grin. I twirl to the left in a similar fashion and change into another inkling with long lime green hair tentacles and smile gently at them with my hand over my mouth in embarrassment.

Now fully in showmanship mode and with bewildered show hosts my audience, I flip backwards and morph into what I looked like before all the changes, two cyan hair tentacles going down my back as I look at our hosts with a tilted head, a smile and arms crossed. Just for added amusement, I flip forwards and shift one last time, turning to my right towards Sheldon who looks at me in shock and outrage at what I became. "Kosh! You said you wouldn't do that!" he blurts as I chuckle at him with his own voice, running a few circles around the middle while changing back to my normal appearance. With an exhale, I let my eight hair tentacles fall down my back and my normal height return to me, shaking my body and head slightly before moving to sit back down on the couch.

Smiles greet my performance except for Marina and Pearl who look at me in confusion. "Yeah...I'm...not sure about this either..." I state to them but Sheldon interjects with his analysis. "His shape-shifting is part of a rare genetic trait known as the Kraken gene. After some research, I learned that only one in every million squids born has the chance to have it and the gene is mostly a recessive trait. Kosh, Flurry, and Drosyn are the only squids I know who have it in pairs." This time, Pearl does leap out of her seat, standing up swiftly and knocking over her chair with her hands on the desk. "Wait, the Kraken gene!? That's not real, is it!? I mean, this is some kind of elaborate joke! A squid that can change into a Kraken at will doesn't exist! It's just a fairy tale!"

Marie gently rises from her seat on my right and pulls me gently out of my seat by the hand, Scurry once again sliding off my lap with a grin while I get up. Mid-walk, I let my arms and hair extend into longer tentacles and wrap them around Marie gently from behind as I put my head over her shoulder, smiling with my sharpened teeth and a feral grin of excitement as Marie's hand rubs my head and responds with a playful challenge.

"I think they're real...don't you?"


	37. Confession

**Chapter II: Confession**

* * *

"Inkopolis is wondering what's else is being done about Dr. Shokushu and his hostile takeover of Octaria with his army of ink clones. Marie, do you have anything you haven't released to the public yet?" Pearl asks in a serious tone, her wide smile the opposite of her seriousness. Marie and I are now sitting again and her answer is in a stern and commanding tone. "As you already know from previous statements, we've been spending our time bolstering Inkopolis' defenses and developing new technology to help counter this army of ink clones. I see no reason for the invasion of Octaria because although it's sad to lose the homeland of the octarians, we don't currently have the means to fight a limitless opponent." _We haven't told them about the shadow operations and we agreed that they don't need to know._ She gestures to the others around her with a smile as she continues. "As I also stated before, we've spent the other half of that time evacuating trapped octarians from hostile territory and helping integrate them into Inkopolis society," I grunt inwardly at the comment, doing my best to avoid looking amused or out of character. _Both our societies revolve around battle..._ "As for new announcements? We have a...prototype...that we've been developing that might make direct operations in Octaria viable. Sheldon?" she states, the group turning to look at him as he pulls out his squidphone with relish. _Wait, we're telling the public about that? I thought that was a secret-_

Sheldon starts to key in commands with practised fingers, eventually pointing the squidphone at the widescreen TV on the wall and pressing a button to transfer information. The image on screen changes from the logo for Inkopolis News to the blueprint of our upcoming project, Sheldon pressing another button on his squidphone to activate a laser pointer. "So this is the Splatoon Quad User Independent Droid or SQUID for short. The current design is a bipedal, ceramic armoured chassis with shoulder and back mounted weapon pods." As he explains, he points his laser pointer at specific parts of the design to emphasize. "These designs are something my grandfather had made prototypes of after the Great Turf War as a means to prevent loss of life. He never finished them and I never had the drive to complete his work since the plans were outdated and that war was a century ago." He gestures with a hand towards the monitor before continuing. "Now, at the behest of the O.L.S., I've finished his designs and added some of my own work to the chassis." He points the laser at the mechanical arms, the right arm now composed of an enlarged M.I.G.S. design and the left arm ending in a mechanical hand. _We decommissioned the Hero Plate armour because of my test run...it nearly fried my brain with the feedback...  
_

"And who's piloting this...droid...and how can you afford to make this?" Marina asks while looking at the designs in confusion. Sheldon chuckles in good humour before rubbing his hands together. "That's the beauty of it! Anyone can pilot it because the controls are extremely simple to use! It can even be used remotely on something as simple as a squidphone with the right app!" His confidence diminishes slightly as he continues with less surety. "Though...I haven't fully tested the design since it's still in the build phase..." Sheldon presses more buttons on his squidphone to move the image to the bottom of the blueprint where the design name and his name are written. Beneath that is the estimated price tag, everyone in the room surprised at the high cost. _150 million cash!? When did we agree to this!?_ Pearl is the first to react with a blurted response that mirrored our surprise. "150 million cash!? How did you even get that much!? I know you're a successful ink gun merchant but this-"

Sheldon smiles confidently again as he chuckles and responds. "I definitely couldn't afford this and even with the O.L.S. backing me, we'd fall well short of proper funding. I reached out to Inkopolis to help cover the cost and some of my grandfather's old colleagues along with our scientific bodies were willing to fund most of the project so long as I provide them with thorough test data. I guess you can say we believe that this technology might become a common sight in the future." I cough slightly in amusement, everyone looking at me in irritation before I apologize quickly for my outburst. _A common sight? Not at that cost..._ Pearl quickly interjects with just as much surprise, her face smiling but only just. "So you want to have killer...droids running around the city!?"

Sheldon grins in embarrassment and waves his hands in front of him in denial while blurting a response. "No no no! This prototype may be a weapon system right now but it can serve in other regards too! Plans are already being designed to adapt the chassis to other tasks like exploration and construction! Imagine us finally being able to explore underneath water without personal risk!" _Ambitious and dangerous...right up our alley..._ Marina clears her throat and the room looks at her before she continues.

"Well, tell us when you start testing your project and we'll be around to report it. For now, let's move on."

* * *

The questions and answers pass in a blur as my entire life in compacted into a ten-minute span. Most of the questions are directed at Marie, the leader of Inkopolis, but some of them hit pretty close to home for me. Do you still hate the octolings? _I'm having a child with one so no._ What's it like being in a relationship with the leader of Inkopolis? _The same as before except for her increased confidence in leading._ What do you plan to do once you've captured Dr. Shokushu? _Demand an explanation and see if he'll surrender.  
_

Marina eventually asks me a question near the end of the span that takes me completely off guard. "You've been singing and dancing on stage during Splatfest opening events for the past two years. Do you ever plan on making your own songs and dances?" she asks casually but with a curious tone. Marie and Callie look at me with grins of expectation as I look around in confusion, everyone else having the same expectant face. "I...haven't put thought into that...I'm more comfortable performing what others have already perfected...I'm not so good making my own content-"

As I'm looking around the room, I see Sheldon rapidly typing into his squidphone with a smile. "Uh...Sheldon, what are you doing?" I ask him gently in an attempt to change the subject, his smile widening as he finishes his typing and points his squidphone at the widescreen again. A button press not only changes the scene on the TV screen but on all the images in the room. A digital copy of myself in casual attire with cyan hair tentacles is sitting in a lounge chair with a smile, Scurry immediately telling me to check outside. I do as instructed, heading to the glass window and looking outside with a face mirrors my confusions as I see the same image in the studio on most of the major screens outside. _The image is on all of the video billboards. How-_

"Hey, squids. It's me, Kosh," I hear my copy say from inside the room, the sound repeated outside of the room. I'm so transfixed by the outside view that I don't notice hair tentacles latching onto my body until they yank me backwards, a grunt of surprise escaping me as I'm lifted off the ground and placed in Flurry's lap to watch the inside TV. I look up to see her she smiling before she gestures with a hand for me to watch the widescreen, my head turning gently towards the screen as my copy continues. "I have a lot of titles. CK, MB, so on, so on. Listen, I don't have a lot of time so I'm just gonna say it." Music starts to play in the background as my copy stands up dramatically and lowers his head with a smile, the chair behind him fading away as my own face moves from confusion to shock. _Sheldon...you didn't..._

But he did. The guitar music, the brisk tempo, and even my tenor inkling voice are what I wanted it to be if I ever made this project real. _Sheldon had made it real._

 _I still don't know-what-you see in meee~  
I'm not-the-one I used to beee~  
No-matter what you say I am~  
I'll-never be the one you need~_

 _Maybe I'm just being cautious~  
Not-wanting to break your heart~  
Or-maybe I'm just being selfish~  
Unwilling to play my part~  
_

The pace picks up as it moves into the chorus, the voice of my copy raising in volume as he shouts the lines with rapid movements.

 _But-please don't cry for-me, my dear!~  
Please don't cry cause-I'll be there!~_  
 _Even if I'm not that perfect!~_  
 _I'll be there to dry your tears!~_

 _So-please don't cry at-all, my dear!~_  
 _I-just cant stand to-see you cry!~_  
 _Just-tell-me what I-need to do!~_  
 _And I'll be-right there by your side!~_

There's a brief pause as the scene changes, the guitarist in the background playing a descending solo as my copy's head lowers again and closes his eyes. The spotlight turns off as another spotlight turns on in the background, a collective gasp sounding in the room as Scurry with her own set of casual clothes enters the light at a slide. I look at Scurry in the room with confusion and by the look of confusion on her face, she wasn't in on this. Any conversation we might have started halts when the copy starts to sing.

 _Stop be-in so indecisive~  
Just-hurry up and make your choice~  
Cause-we aren't getting any younger~  
Just tell-me what you waaant~_

 _Cause I've chosen for you so-many-times~_  
 _And it is getting irritating~_  
 _So hurry up and decide something~_  
 _Or maybe I'll just walk awaay~_

The Scurry copy repeats the chorus as well, her singing voice clear and precise as she shouts the lines. _Scurry_ _can't hold a note like that...and doesn't want to practice..._

 _But-please don't cry for-me, my dear!~  
Please don't cry cause-I'll be there!~_  
 _Even if I'm not that perfect!~_  
 _I'll be there to dry your tears!~_

 _So-please don't cry at-all, my dear!~_  
 _I-just cant stand to-see you cry!~_  
 _Just-tell-me what I-need to do!~_  
 _And I'll be-right there by your side!~_

The room is deadly silent as the project plays, even our movements still as we watch. The Scurry copy also lowers her head as well before the spotlight dies, my copy's spotlight turning on as he sings the next lines sadly with head held high.

 _Please don't-gooo! I-didn't mean to-be this waay!~_

The other spotlight turns on, Scurry singing in a similar manner.

 _Please don't-gooo! I-didn't mean to-drive you a-way!~_

Both voices join together as the copy's turn towards each other and walk gently forwards with hands outreached, the spotlights following their progress until they join one hand to the other.

 _Please don't-gooo! Cause I-don't-know what makes you feel right!~  
But even if we-aren't that perfect w_ _ _hy can't we just be together_!?~_

Both copy's sing hit high notes while turning to the audience, slowly descending in pitch and repeating the pattern three times until the music slows further to a sombre ending tune. My copy starts to whisper the last few lines to himself, his head low in sadness as the Scurry copy leaves the spotlight.

 _So-please don't cry for-me, my dear...~  
Please don't cry cause-I'll be there...~_  
 _Even if I'm not that perfect...~_  
 _I'll be there to dry your tears...~_

The final line has Scurry rejoin the spotlight with a gentle hug from behind, both copies joining to say the final lyrics.

 _ _But-please don't cry for-me, my dear...~  
Cause I'll be there to-say I love you...~  
So don't worry about-being perfect...~  
Please just tell-me what-I can do...~  
__

The copy's finish with a gentle hug as the crowd outside bursts into a cheer, the noise travelling through the glass window as my brow raised in surprise at the response. The room once again turns their eyes on me as I smile awkwardly. "I...may have been...experimenting with some lyrics...but that was not my doing..." I stutter while pointing at the widescreen now displaying the Inkopolis news logo again. Sheldon interjects to pull me out of this mess. "I call it a pass-time. I needed time away from research and development so I spent some time making this-"

Marina is quick to retort, looking at me as she does. "You _have_ to perform that at this coming Splatfest!" she blurts excitedly but my hands move up in surrender as I blurt a response of my own. "Whoa, whoa! I didn't even make that! That's Sheldon's work and I don't think Scurry would agree to this! I just learned about this today and Splatfest is in two weeks!"

"Already making a new poll!" Callie interjects from her seat on my left, her fingers tapping furiously on her squidphone screen to update an active poll. "What's that song called?" she asks me as she stops typing for a second, my shoulders shrugging as Sheldon answers. "Life For Us..." he mumbles loud enough for Callie to hear as she resumes typing, my head turning to look at Sheldon with slight remorse and a sigh. I turn back to look at Scurry to gauge her opinion but find that she isn't in her seat or anywhere in the room. "Uh...where did Scurry-" I start to say before my squidphone vibrates in my left pocket, my left hand bringing it out and opening a new text from her. _Meet me at home? Uh oh..._ I quickly turn back to Pearl and Marina and ask, "Do we have any other questions that you need me to answer?"

"We're done with the broadcast. We just need to end it right," Marina states with a grin while rising from her seat, Pearl smiling broadly and doing the same as the others around me rise out of their seats. _Well...it's their show after all._ With a grim smile, we all move to the centre of the room as the couches and desk roll away on their own, each of us mirroring Pearl and Marina as they take their signature ending pose.

"Don't get cooked! Stay off the hook!"

* * *

"How could you lie to me about that!?" Scurry shouts at me from the opposite couch, her face a mask of outrage and her arms across her chest. Flurry pats me a few times on the head to comfort me and I raise my fingers with a confused look before answering. "First of all, not my idea. I was just bantering with Sheldon as we worked on the SQUID. I had no input on what he did with that banter. Second, this is the first time I've seen that project so how can I lie about something that I didn't even know about? And lastly, there's a high chance that the entire project is a one-time thing so I don't see-"

One of Flurry's hair tentacles gently moves over my mouth as another shows me her squidphone. A low growl escapes me when I see the poll, my anger rising slightly before I can stamp it out. _The songs already popular...Inkopolis already changed their vote...Life for Us is now the first act of Splatfest..._ The urge to bite the hair tentacle in front of me nearly overpowers me but Flurry moves it away from my mouth, another tentacle trying to rub my head before I shake her off. My eyes turn back to Scurry as I growl at her. "Well...more bad news. It looks like we don't have a choice because Callie put up the poll and Inkopolis wants us to perform the song-"

Scurry shouts in rage and springs from her seat, picking up the table in front of her with both hands and throwing it at us like a wooden projectile. My hair tentacles surge forward subconsciously to absorb the momentum of the object, the table stopping gently in the air before I put it back in its place. Flurry is already moving her tentacles around me defensively with a growl of outrage before I tap her on the right shoulder with my left hand, the tentacles around me loosening as she slowly calms down. "If it's this much of a problem, I'll tell the squids of Inkopolis personally that we can't perform the song. We agree with this?" I say calmly but Scurry doesn't answer, her fists shaking slightly before she storms out of the living room.

"How _dare_ she try to harm you after-" Flurry starts to say before I put one of my hair tentacle over her mouth, smiling to myself at hushing her. "You splatted me, remember? Squids wanting to splat me is common so let me talk to her...alone," I whisper gently as I try to move but she protests instead, her tentacles wrapping around me tighter and causing me to groan in frustration. _I love her and all but she's far too overprotective._ "Flurry...nothing is going to happen to me and even if something does, it's not like I won't respawn. Now...let go please..." I say in a calm yet stern tone, the tentacles around me moving off slowly and reluctantly as I spring out of my seat. To my left, Callie and Marie are looking at me with a mixture of concern and amusement, causing me to smile and shake my head as I move down the hallway towards our room.

 _This is the first time Flurry has seen one of Scurry's tantrums..._

* * *

When I reach the door to our room, the lock is engaged and I roll my eyes as I raise a foot. _Well...guess we're needing another door and lock again._ The foot slams into the door handle, punching the metal clear through the door with a loud crack of wood before my hand sarcastically pushes the door gently open. I kneel down to pick up the debris with my hair tentacles, moving the sundered lock and cracked wooden pieces to the side to avoid others stepping on it before I examine the room.

Scurry is sitting with her knees close to her chest in the chair at the far end of the room, her face in her knees even after the noise of the door broken open. With a sigh, I cross the room slowly and plop down in the chair on the opposite side of the table, sitting and waiting patiently for her to ask her first question like every other time this has happened. _Her emotions have become so erratic._ After a few minutes, she finally asks her question. "I lost control...didn't I..."

"Yeah...again...nobody was hurt though...like every other time..." I whisper but Scurry looks up at me suddenly and with hostility. "That doesn't make it acceptable! I can't control my own emotions! I'm becoming a danger to everyone around me!" she shouts at me with angry tears, my head lowering slightly in shame before looking up in frustration. _I won't let myself get sad now! I have to help her first!_ "Scurry...we haven't talked about what's been going on lately so...do you have any idea why this is happening?" I ask gently but her angry face snarls at me as she leaps across the table from her seat.

I do nothing to stop the leap, my face sad slam me out of my seat and onto the ground. As she leaps on top of me, one hand moves to hold the front of my neck while the other hand moves back into a fist, the fist vibrating as she looks at me with wild eyes. All I can do is stare into her eyes. "Do what you need to do..." I say glumly as her face enrages further and she brings her fist around, the blow slamming my head to the left as I feel ink enter my mouth from my teeth biting down on my cheek. _I don't even mind the pain...all squids are used to pain...  
_

My head turns back groggily and Scurry's face changes from anger to shock, her left hand releasing my throat as she stutters. "Zapfish...I didn't mean to! I'll...let me get you up!" She quickly gets off me and picks me up under my arms, my head slightly fuzzy from the whiplash as she throws me onto her back and carries me to bed. I feel tossed onto the bed before her hand opens my mouth, her tongue moving into it to lick the wound. A grunt escapes me at the suddenness of the move but the wound closes and she tries to move as far away as she can _._ My left-hand latches onto her wrist and I pull her back, her other hand trying to dislodge my grip as I pull her towards me. "Okay...I likely deserved that-"

"You didn't deserve that! You don't deserve any of how I've been treating you! Now let go!" she shouts but I don't reply, a solid yank pulling her on top of me. My hair tentacles wrap around her as she tries to struggle free, a sad sigh escaping me as I tell her to stop struggling. "GET OFF ME!" she shouts into my face as my sigh becomes an angry growl, my voice shouting her name instead. She stops struggling immediately, tears starting to form in her eyes as she shouts at me. "What do I even give you anymore!? What do I bring to this relationship that you can't already get from the others!?"

I suppress a sigh as I wait patiently for her rant to start and _s_ he doesn't disappoint, shouting at me with tears running down her face. "Flurry is part Kraken! Marie is the leader of Inkopolis! Callie's an idol! What do I even offer now!?" Something about this situation angers me because my hands move forward to seize Scurry's head, shaking it a few times to get her attention as she stops crying momentarily. "Listen to me," I growl at her, not releasing my hands from her head and not caring if I'm scaring her or not. "I'm not in relationships with _any_ of you because of what you have to offer. I don't think like that and I never will. You know and I know that was _never_ the reason." My hands move her face closer to mine, my arms resisting her attempts to move my hands away as I bring her face to face with me. "I'm doing this because you need me. You're my sister and you're the only family I have left. I'm not about to just let us drift apart because of something so stupid. This is the last time we're having this talk. Understand?"

Her face moves to a grim smile as she leans in closer, my hands releasing her head as she whispers to me threateningly. "You're not being honest. There's something you aren't telling me-"

"You want to know!? FINE!" I shout back at her while moving her away from me with a shove, Scurry now sitting on me as my face becomes a mask of anger. "I'm scared! I'm scared that we're drifting apart and I CAN'T STOP IT! No matter what I do! No matter what I try! No matter what I give you! I don't know how to convince you to stay!" Angry tears form in my eyes as I look away from her, sadness quickly replacing the anger as I move my right hand over my face to hide. "Please...please don't leave me again...I...I need you here with me..." I sob as I close my eyes, my hair tentacles releasing her and falling to the bed as I break down. I can't look at her as I keep stuttering. "But...but I can't make you stay...and I can't convince you to stay...I feel so helpless-"

Scurry moves the hand from my face, smiling gently as she moves my hand to her back and pulls me closer. I'm about to sob further when she starts rubbing my head with her other hand, my hair tentacles responding by latching onto her desperately. I take a deep breath to calm myself down but it does no good, my eyes screwing shut as I sob uncontrollably in her arms. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to-" I start to whisper through my sobs but Scurry covers my mouth gently with a hair tentacle and my eyes open to see her gentle smile. "Enough of that...I won't bring this up again...let's put it behind us now..."

She moves me to my side and holds me close to her chest, my face still wet with tears as I start to feel exhaustion sweep in. I try to fight off the need to sleep but Scurry rubbing my hair causes the urge to become irresistible. My eyes close slowly as I hear her start to whisper something, my mind starting to drift into sleep even as it realizes what she's whispering.

 _Please don't-gooo...cause I don't know what makes you feel right...~  
Even if we aren't that perfect...w_ _ _hy can't we just be together?..._ ~_


	38. Readjustment

**Chapter III: Readjustment**

* * *

I open my eyes in bewilderment, unable to see in the darkened room around me and trying to rise in an attempt to escape. A gentle pull forces me back downwards with a thump, a calm voice whispering to me in my bewilderment. "It's OK...calm down...you aren't in danger...just relax..." the voice says as a hand brushes my hair tentacles but I continue to jerk my head around rapidly to the left and right to see who's speaking. A hand slaps me on the chest gently as another voice whispers in annoyance at me. "Hey! Quit squirming! You're gonna make me fall off!"

My head snaps forward frantically, my eyes finally adjusting to the gloom to see Scurry laying on top of me with a grim smile on her face. "Is this gonna be every time you wake up now? Frantically trying to escape and disoriented by your surroundings?" she gloats sarcastically, causing me to groan in frustration and reach for my squidphone only to realize that I'm not wearing pants. My head slowly looks down to see that I'm completely undressed, the sensation of skin contact on my front and back telling me more information. "Why...are we naked?" I cautiously whisper before I feel my hair tentacles tugged on the left and right sides, giggles followed by the sensation of skin rubbing the hair. _OK, calm down...you're missing a lot of details...breath..._

I close my eyes and breath deeply to let my mind catch up to current events. My hair tentacles try to move gently out of the grip of I assume Callie and Marie but strong arms clamp down on the hair tentacle on my right, causing a jolt up my back at the sudden pain. The grip on the left is no less firm but not as painful, a stern voice whispering for me to stay. My body obeys the command before my mind can process it, my breath relaxing further and my body no longer trying to flee as a chuckle escapes my throat. _I'm becoming more of a pet than a lover..._ "How long was I out this time?" I whisper grimly, Scurry's grin dropping to a neutral expression as her body starts to glow cyan. "A few hours...you started shaking uncontrollably and mumbling things...about how you weren't strong enough and-"

"-about how I couldn't save them..." I finish, finally piecing together what's troubling me and why I broke down the way I did. _It's been a month since that mission...I'm still having these nightmares...that octarian child shouldn't have lost his mother..._ "We did everything we could, Kosh and we can't save everyone. Beating ourselves up over it won't change what happened," Marie states and I smile at hearing such a statement from Marie who used to cry frequently about her hard decisions and her terrible leadership. "My head tells me to get over it but...I can't...that event's one of those moments that's gonna haunt me for the rest of my life-"

"You need to stop thinking about it that way," Marie states while putting a hand on my head to calm me, the sensation of two people rubbing my hair tentacles making me drowsy. "She stayed and fought for her home and her family. It was her choice to fight and I don't think we can blame ourselves for her actions." I groan at Marie's lecturing and in response, the hand rubbing my hair tentacles moves to pinches my cheek in an instant. My groan of frustration quickly becomes a groan of pain as Marie pulls, Callie giggling from my right as she adds her own comment. "Is that any way to act around the leader of Inkopolis?" With as much sincerity as I can muster, I reply gently while rubbing my face, "No, it isn't...sorry about that..."

My stomach growling interrupts the conversation, my face grimacing as hunger makes itself known. "I didn't eat anything for most of the day...anything in the mini?" I ask aloud but Scurry smiles and slides off me while pulling me into a sitting position. Flurry is uncomfortably close behind me and I blush when I feel her body press against my back. "Get dressed, Kosh. We're having guests over and now that you're awake, we can have a nice dinner with them," Scurry states with a smile as she moves to sit on the bed's edge, my face now confused as Flurry rubs my hair tentacles still. "Wait...guests? What guests?" I ask in confusion as I hear Marie rise from her spot on my left, looking over to see her move her legs over the bed's edge. Callie makes far more noise doing the same, rapidly springing out of bed to land on the floor as she dashes around the bed towards the bathroom before anyone else can occupy it. Flurry is the one to respond to my question. "Marina and Pearl finally decided to come over after two years of refusal...so try to be on your best behaviour."

My head jerks around to my left to try and see her expression but her laugh greets me when I can't see her. "Wait, Off the Hook is coming here!? Marie, do you know about this!?"

"Yes. I was the one who invited them after recent...events. If we're burying hatchets today then Callie and I might as well bury ours. It's fitting that you be awake for that." Her tone wasn't something I'd heard before and I felt my suspicions rising. _She sounds bitter..._ "Is there something you aren't telling me?" I ask her firmly but not trying to sound overly demanding but she doesn't turn to look at me and her posture becomes rigid. Her head eventually turns slightly to the right, her expression starting at grim but moving to a smile. Her next statement causes me to shiver slightly.

"Actually...it's what I'm telling you that you should worry about..."

* * *

"Callie!" I hear a high pitched voice scream before the front door opens fully, a white and pink haired inkling surging through the opening past Marina to run straight at Callie who prepares herself to catch the inkling. Pearl leaps at her and they embrace with a thump, both of them laughing as Callie rotates them slightly on the spot. Marina is not far behind as all of us turn to watch Callie and Pearl get dizzy from their spinning until they fall down, still giggling to themselves as they fall to the floor. "She seems...happy..." I say in confusion, Marina chuckling slightly from my right. "We've barely had time to visit anyone now that we've taken over Inkopolis News broadcasts so it's an understandable reaction Pearl has. Callie and Pearl have always gotten along also." I suppress a grunt at the current situation, Marie nudging me in the side when she notices my cynical facial expression. _What hatchet is there to bury here? Off the Hook and the Squid Sisters get along just fine...I think...  
_

"Kosh? Why don't you start cooking dinner with our guests now that we're all here?" Marie states gently, my head turning to the left slowly as she nods to me. _She didn't tell the rest of the house yet...that's gonna be a shocker..._ My head turns to my right to see Marina staring at me intently, my body jumping slightly at the attention and am further surprised when she takes a small step back from me. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to startle you...let's...go cook things now..." she stutters as I raise my brow in confusion, my body following her stiffly as she wanders towards the kitchen. My head looks over my left shoulder to stare at Marie but she shoves me after Marina before moving off to tell the others. _What's going on!?_ "No, Kosh...you aren't dead...so keep moving," Marie says quickly as she passes and she gives me another gentle push in the direction of the kitchen to emphasize.

Callie and Pearl are already doing prep-work with a happiness that I've never seen before, acting like sisters themselves and working in unison with a speed and efficiency that I've never seen. I shrug in confusion and move towards the fridge, opening it to find the usual amount of food. "Wow, you guys keep this well stocked...I mean, you do live with so many others..." I hear over my shoulder and my head slightly turns to the left to regard Marina who's looking over my shoulder, turning my head back and taking out some of the larger fishes to hand to her. _OK...act natural...nothing is going on here...nothing is strange about this...we're just having them over and we're just cleaning up any problems-_

"You seem nervous, Kosh. Are you alright?" Marina asks as she starts to carry fishes to the counter to prep them. My hair tentacle rubs my forehead and comes away damp with sweat. "Huh...didn't know I'm sweating...sorry about that," I say calmly while reaching for a nearby towel on the stove handle to wipe my head. My spine jolts slightly when my hair tentacle brushes against another one, the sensation shockingly intimate as both hair tentacles move the towel to my head. "Uh...thanks..." I stutter as Marina helps me wipe the sweat away, my hands already grabbing the cutting boards and knives we need and moving them to the counter. _Act natural...this is an octarian think that they express everything physically...just relax and-_

"Looks like someone is getting a little star struck," Pearl giggles from across the counter, the hair tentacles of Marina and I moving back behind our backs swiftly as Pearl laughs at the equal reaction. "You guys act so similarly! It's little wonder that she's interested in you in a big way!" Pearl exclaims and Marina shouts Pearl's name in response to her embarrassment, Pearl's laughter joined by Callie and soon Marie as she returns to the kitchen. "Don't try to hide it! Anyone with eyes can see you're into each other!"

"Let's...talk about this later..." I state awkwardly, slowly laying the fishes down on the cutting boards and placing the knives next to them. Marina is already on my right, grabbing a knife and holding it up to her face to inspect it. "You don't spend enough time sharpening these...the edge is a bit dull," she states sharply, my face frowning as I groan in annoyance. "I haven't had a lot of time to maintain the kitchen equipment. I'm glad these knives can cut anything," I retort, my face moving to dismay at how angry I sounded when responding. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to-" we both start saying, both of us stopping mid-sentence at the surprise of speaking in unison. Scurry interrupts us as she walks into the kitchen. "Okay, quit being lovers for a second and get back to prep work! Those fishes won't prep themselves!"

"Right, right..." I stutter awkwardly while Scurry moves past us to manage the stove. One of her hair tentacles touches my rear, causing me to flinch slightly and turn around to see her smiling grimly at me before she turns back to the stove. _That's...different..._ "You seem...popular at home..." Marina states from my right, the sound of her knife cutting fish sounding as she works. My hands start doing the same as I reply, "You get used to it...I'm not sure if it's...normal to get used to it."

A brief laugh comes from Marina as she retorts. "Normal? That's just a word. None of us in this room are normal because we're who we are. Look who you're surrounded by," she states as my head looks at her to see her gesture around the room at everyone present, the others filing into the room with slight bewilderment at seeing Off the Hook casually working in their kitchen. _Sheldon looks likes he's gonna pass out...at least he has Dros to make sure if he does, he won't be embarrassing himself..._

"Really, Kosh? When is this gonna end? When you have every major idol in Inkopolis sharing a bed with you?" Clementine states before Whinter shouts her name in embarrassment. I roll my eyes in response to her comment before sarcastically retorting. "It's not like I'm choosing this path. I just have a bad habit of agreeing with whatever the collective sisters demand." My eyes move around the room to lock onto those I mentioned, their faces grimly smiling at me with knowing expressions. _You're such troublemakers and I'm usually the one that pays..._ Clementine laughs as she and Whinter sit at the table. "Relax, Kosh. I'm just kidding. I learned enough from exposure to you that you're...the victim here...sorta..." _The victim? I wouldn't go that far._ "Yeah, I was jealous before at your status but after seeing what they do you on a daily basis, I'm not jealous now," Whinter adds with amusement, my face frowning in disapproval before smiling when Clementine pinches his cheek angrily. "I didn't mean it, Clem! Ow, that hurts!" he groans while trying to get Clementine to stop pinching his cheek but failing. _Ha! Serves you right._ _  
_

"Kosh...Scurry's glaring at you..." Marina whispers from my right, my head turning to the left to see Scurry doing so from the stove. "Oh, right...prep work..." I whisper back to her, focusing back on preparing the fish in front of me. Callie, Marie, and Pearl giggle from in front of me before turning back to their own prep, my body shaking briefly at the implications.

 _Like prey caught in a net...that's my situation..._

* * *

"I must say...things are going differently than I imagined..." Marina states while joining me in watching Callie inhale food with hands and hair tentacles. Pearl is doing the same from the seat next to her and together, they made an interesting spectacle. _Jeez...most of the food we cooked is for just them..._ I shake my head slightly before answering. "Yeah...but how did you expect things to go when you came over?" I ask while Scurry moves my head to the right with sushi in hand, my mouth opening automatically as my hair tentacles feed her in turn. "Well...I didn't expect us to fit in so easily. I thought there would be at least some resistance but...you squids accepted us as if we've always been here," she replies calmly before eating some of the sushi in front of her with grace. I can't help but snort at her reply, chewing my food and swallowing swiftly before answering. "With all the strange encounters and hardships we've been through together, I don't think any of us can harbour too much ill will now."

"And what about you? You seem uncomfortable being around me," Marina adds in after chewing and swallowing her own food. "Uh...am I...projecting that?..." I stutter with Scurry giggling from my right at my awkward reply. _Wow...that caught me off guard..._ "I mean...I'm trying to not be...but this is...sudden...and I didn't know that you were coming over..." Scurry rubs my hair tentacles gently in response as she tries to calm me down. "Relax, Kosh. Try deep breaths and full sentences. You're acting ridiculous." _Judging by her tone, she's enjoying that..._ I inhale and exhale quickly, blinking my eyes a few times before gathering what confidence I have on hand. "I'm glad you guys came over. I think everyone here needed some new faces and they seem to appreciate you being here. Thank you."

Marina looks away in embarrassment, her hair tentacles moving to her face unconsciously. "And were...glad to be here. I hope we can get to know each other more over time," she blurts, my face becoming embarrassed in response to her words. _Get to...know each other? Just what motives does she have?_ _Or am I overthinking this?_ "Hey, get your mind out of the gutter, Kosh. You're embarrassing me and I don't like it," Scurry states from my right, my head jerking to the right in confusion to see her face frowning at me. "I wasn't thinking anything...dirty? Is that what you mean?" I respond but her face continues to frown at me as she moves more sushi towards me with her chopsticks. My hands move the sushi back to her plate as I continue to stare at her, our eyes locking in an unspoken exchange. Everything seems to fall into place as I move forward to kiss her, our lips locking for a second before I pull back from her.

Her hair tentacles wrap around my head gently and pulling me back into the kiss as she puts her tongue in my mouth, my eyes closing slowly as the kiss deepens and my hands move around her body. The surroundings fade as we enjoy the moment to ourselves. _Everyone's probably watching...aw well..._ I feel her hand go under the back of my shirt and I do the same but we use that as a signal to stop, a napkin already in my hand to wipe the ink off of her lip as she sighs happily at me. "You're...you're learning..." she whispers, causing me to smile gently as I return her happy sigh. "Yeah...I have my moments..."

"Wow...you two are pretty...wow..." Marina says from her spot, my heading turning towards the table to see everyone staring at us with a mix of amusement and surprise. "Sorry about that...I'll behave now..." I say awkwardly, turning back around to finish the food in front of me but Scurry is already moving more sushi to my mouth with a broad grin.

"I like it better when you misbehave...it's more enjoyable for me..."


	39. Black and White

**Chapter IV: Black and White**

* * *

"Kosh, don't pretend like you didn't expect to end up in this situation when we came over," Pearl giggles from her seat on the bed, my head pointing straight ahead in an attempt to remain calm. "I had...I mean what I...I don't know..." I stutter timidly in response, shaking my head and sighing at the predicament as my body remain taught. _There's no right way to do this...Wait, stop thinking that!_ Marina is sitting on my right in a similar fashion, having not said a word since she'd sat down and mimicking my taught posture. Pearl is the only one unaffected by embarrassment, giggling to herself as she crawls across the bed behind us and moving her hands to rub our hair tentacles gently. I start to feel drowsy from the sensation despite my efforts to stay awake, drooping forward slightly until Pearl moves my head gently to the right to lean against Marina's. "I know how you work, Kosh. Marina has similar habits to yours so anything I can use on her, I can use on you."

"That's...not...comforting..." I whisper with eyes closed, slowly falling asleep from her touch. _Maybe I should fall asleep...avoid the situation entirely..._ The hand brushing my head moves away and shakes my shoulder rapidly, my eyes snapping open in surprise at the change. "You awake now?" Pearl says while nestling her head on my right shoulder, her cheek rubbing against mine causing me to blush. "Yeah...I'm...pretty awake now..."

"Same..." Marina whispers from her seat and I look to the right only to see Pearl staring back at me. Her smile is predatory, a wicked grin that reminded me of Callie. "Why are you and Callie...so similar?" I ask her aloud without thinking, unsure of what answer I wanted to hear as she giggles again and nudges my head forward with her cheek against mine. "You mean besides our size, affliction, and personality? I really don't know...all I do know is that there are so few squids like us and I don't intend to push friends away," she states knowingly and my lips start to feel dry, my tongue licking them more out of nervousness then necessity. _What's wrong with me? This isn't the first time this has happened...Sure, they're who they are but-_

"You're drifting into thought, aren't you?" Pearl interrupts with another giggle, rubbing her cheek against mine as I snap back into the now. "Marina does the same and she's probably doing so right now." In a swift motion, Pearl puts both hands on my head to rotate it gently towards Marina on my right whos eyes are closed as she's lost in thought. I'm surprised to see her look very similar to me. _Is that an octarian thing or me thing? Or is it our thing?_ Pearl interrupts the moment by rapidly moving to Marina and turning her head towards me, her eyes opening quickly to the sudden move. "Oh...I'm sorry...I drifted off there for a second...sorry..."

"Ugh! You guys are so frustrating!" Pearl exclaims while rolling her eyes and pushing Marina towards me suddenly. As a reaction, I shimmy slightly towards her and catch her as she falls towards me, our arms holding each other as I right her posture. A brief moment of intimacy happens when she raises her head, our faces very close to each other as with mirroring degrees of blushing. "Thank...you..." Marina stutters in embarrassment as both of us look downwards so quickly that our foreheads thump together. Pearl laughs as we both reel slightly from the impact, adding in her comments as we rub our heads in discomfort. "Wow, you guys _are_ similar. Is this what octarians are like when they court each other? Awkward and bumbling?"

"It isn't...like I've done this before..." Marina whispers, my brow rising from the confession. _This again!? I guess finding the right squid partner as an idol is like trying to find a drop of blue ink in a tank of green._ "Kosh...I need to ask you something..." Marina whispers seriously, my attention immediately raising to full alertness as I give her a slight nod to continue. She inhales and exhales to collect herself before speaking. "When you look at me...not my appearance but who I am...what do you see?" _Oh, is that all?...I'm glad we're asking reasonable questions..._ I repeat her gesture of breathing before answering. "From the brief amount of time we've spent together, I see an octarian who's dedicated to her friends. You may not always be in the spotlight but you're there to make sure those in the light are prepared and supported." My head nods towards Pearl who's sitting on the edge of the bed with a neutral expression. "As much as Pearl is popular and talented, we've already seen what happens when you try to go solo. Is that what's wrong here? Do you feel you're drifting apart?" _  
_

"No...maybe...I don't know..." Marina answers while dipping her head low and suddenly, she starts to tear up with a brief exhale followed by her looking up with a face full of anguish. "I can't...I can't do this...we wanted to see who you'd choose but...it isn't fair...she needs you more than-"

"Marina!? No!" Pearl exclaims suddenly while moving across the bed rapidly to sit to her right and glare at us whilst Marina sobs lightly in my arms. "We went over this! You aren't gonna give up without a fight! Let him decide for himself and stop giving up!" Pearl shouts but sniffles a bit as she wipes her eyes angrily. I groan in frustration at the current events, not liking that I'm the source of their fighting. _Zapfish...I guess the choice is made for me..._ My right arm leaves Marina's grip as I shimmy onto the bed further, the hand moving to Pearl's back as I pull her into the embrace. We have to shimmy further onto the bed so that Marina and I don't fall off as both of them look at me in confusion, my head dipping low as I sigh before rising with a smile. "So...let's start from the beginning...Pearl, you go first..."

She doesn't miss a beat as she blurts her story. "Callie keeps going on and on in private about you and how great you are! I couldn't understand what she saw in you at first but over time...I think I kinda get it..."

"It's nice to hear that she's still sharing private information without my consent..." I say before groaning in frustration, shaking my head in emphasis before nodding to Pearl to continue. _Look what you got me into now, Callie..._ When she says nothing, I decide to ask one of my own questions. "What...exactly has she been sharing with you?" I ask her in a whisper as Marina turns to look at Pearl in curiosity, Pearl looking away in embarrassment as she responds. "That...you're...and this is her words...you're pretty good in bed and you like to cuddle a lot...and that you're a good listener...along with being...easy to manipulate..." I can't help but laugh at her information, her face becoming irritated before I can stop myself. "Sorry...that about...sums me up I guess...though I don't go around boasting any of that nor do I feel I'm _that_ noteworthy-"

"Quit being modest! I hate that about you two! You always try to play off how great you are!" Pearl states in annoyance as she tries to escape our embrace, a grunt of amusement escaping me as she tries to move my hair tentacles to little effect. Marina's hair tentacles touch mine as they lock Pearl in place and I give her a glance to see her face smiling at me, her anguish now replaced with happiness as I smile back at her. _I must admit, she does copy my reactions pretty well._ "Why am I even here!? It's clear that Marina is the better choice! She's just _like_ you and she'll fit in more then I will-"

"I don't think Callie would send you any information if she thought Marina was the better choice, right?" I state with a smile before a thought occurs to me. "Did you store those claims on your squidphone?" I ask and Pearl gives me a brief nod. I ask for her to show me the information and there's some resistance at first but having two octarians keeping her in place overrules her resistance as she reluctantly pulls out her squidphone to show me. What's written in text surprises me when I start reading. _Two years of every little detail that's happened to me? And knowing Pearl is like Callie, she probably shared the info with Marina-_

After reading enough details, I cough slightly in embarrassment while blushing and timidly give a reply. "I...don't know what to think about this...so...you have information about me...very personal information...up to the current date..."

"This was private between Callie and I and I'm not like Callie posting it on Squider and Squidgram. Marina is the only other squid that knows because she wanted to know," Pearl states defensively as I spend a little bit of time reviewing the conversations on her squidphone just to make sure I got it right. I smile in resignation at some of the contents. "Did she...have to be so descriptive about us sharing ink? That's really personal..." I whisper as Pearl turns the phone around to look at the conversation, giggling to herself as she reads. "C'mon, Kosh! It was an important moment for her! She finally found someone willing to not just commit to her but to Marie without making her choose! That's something special so of course, she'll talk about it!"

"Are we...being given the same?..." Marina asks timidly from my left, a sigh escaping me as I close my eyes. "Yes...though this is very sudden and I...barely know either of you on a personal level...I can get over it...and-" When I open my eyes, Pearl is already pushing her lips against mine as her short hair tentacles latch onto my face. Marina lets go of us as Pearl wraps her arms around my neck, the pressure of her grip shockingly similar to Callie. _The same affliction...now I get it..._ Instincts honed from exposure to similar conditions kick in as my arms and hair tentacles wrap around her body gently, my eyes closing again as I let the moment happen. There's a fervent desperation to her affection as if she's expecting me to push her away and my face stings from her tears. _She's upset and I don't know why..._ I ignore the pain and push every emotion into the moment in an attempt to distract her from her sadness but it doesn't work and when she pulls away from me, she starts to sob loudly with pink tears rolling down her face. More instincts kick in as I move her closer to me, moving her head over my shoulder and rubbing her hair tentacles with a hand as she continues to sob.

"I can't date normally! Everyone I've been with has gotten hurt from me! I can't help it if I can't control myself!" she shouts between sobs, my eyes closing as I begin to understand her situation. _Her strength can easily hurt most normal squids...Callie cried about this a lot before..._ "Then she found you and told me about it and I was so jealous! I wanted her happiness too but there's no one else like you! So I thought I'd try and steal you from her-" _Wait, what!?_ "-but then she told me she'd share you and that...that you'd be okay with it! I just...I feel so terrible! I'm being so selfish!"

I gently try to shush her but it does no good, her loud sobs filling the room heartbreaking to hear. I try to move her in front of me but her grip hadn't loosened at all. _I can't imagine what its like...to want to love but unable to..._ "It's alright, Pearl...you don't need to cry anymore...I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, OK?...you don't need to be sad..." I whisper gently but all I accomplish is for her to sob further, my face cringing as her tears continue to burn my skin and her grip tightens slightly. _The grip is just as painful but I can endure the pain._ My eyes catch Marina staring at me as she smiles and gives me a knowing nod, a smile crossing my face as my hands start to move from Pearl's body. _Well, if it's OK with you..._

One of my hands moves to Pearls front, quickly finding the zipper on her outfit and slowly pulling it down. She jolts slightly and stops sobbing for a second, backing away from me to look at my hand on the zipper. When she looks up, she's blushing bright pink as my other hand wipes the tears away from her face with the sound of skin singing. I don't say anything as my hand continues to unzip her clothing but her hand eventually stops mine. "Um...wait...this is a bit...sudden...isnt there...steps to this?..." she blurts as I give her a grin, my hand moving through her grip to completely unzip her dress that makes her face move to minor shock. I use both hands to pull the dress off her and toss it onto the floor, revealing her pale skin, white bra and panties. "Well, the first step is getting us out of our clothes," I state while moving to pull off my shirt but her hands stop mine again as she looks down in embarrassment. "Let me...let me do it..." she whispers, my own embarrassment now showing but I go along with it, moving my hands on top of her hands as she starts to lift my shirt off. As she tosses my shirt away, her hands are already moving to my shorts and with a swift yank, the short come off and are thrown aside. "You're getting...bold..." I whisper before yelping slightly as she pulls my underwear off as well, revealing my crotch to her. She giggles at me as she starts to undo her bra and panties, tossing them both aside confidently while laying down to stare intently at my crotch. "Callie was right. Not too robust but not too small."

"My face is up here..." I say with amusement as my hands lift Pearl from under her arms so we're facing each other. There's no resistance when I lift her up because as soon as her face meets mine, she latches onto me with her arms, legs, and hair tentacles. I do the same with my arms and hair tentacles but Pearl forces herself forward, pushing us onto the bed with a thud as she kisses me aggressively. For long seconds, we lay there rubbing each other and kissing with abandon before Pearl pulls away from me with a shuddering sigh. "Am I...going overboard?...I mean..."

I don't let her finish, smiling while I bring her back into more kissing with my hair tentacles. "Just be you..." I whisper to her as our lips meet again, regretting it slightly when her tongue forces its way into my mouth with gusto. _I might've excited her a bit too much..._ Her body goes vertical and pulls me up with her as she sits in my lap, her face pulling away as she grins at me and looks down to orient herself with me. "Since you're not running away and letting me be me...we can just skip a few steps..." she states as she aligns herself with me, my body tensing slightly as I feel her align herself and move slowly onto me. We both let out a long moan as she finally connects us, her body shuddering at the sensation. I move to hold her but in doing so, I move my body too quickly.

Her scream takes me completely by surprise, my head rocking back and my eyes closing involuntarily at its volume and intensity. I grunt slightly in pain as her arms and legs tighten around me but it only lasts a few moment and her body relaxes as she shudders an exhale. "That was...unexpected..."

"I think...I just wet myself..." she whispers in embarrassment while looking down, my face moving to a smile as I keep her in place with my hair tentacles and brush her hair lightly with a hand. "No...you just sprayed your ink all over my lap...have you never...done that before?..." I ask her calmly while trying not to show any signs of the pain she inflicted. She seems transfixed by the mess she made, her face tired as she continues to look down at our connection. "Is...that what I did?...What's the difference?..." she asks as she looks up at me, her body wobbling slightly as I bring her to my chest. "...I guess...this ink is cleaner?...less debris in it?...I've never done a comparison..."

"So we just...shared ink just now?..." Pearl asks me in a low voice, her eyes closing as she breathes evenly as my hands and hair tentacles move around her protectively. "Well...I didn't actually...discharge anything so...we didn't really-"

Something wet touches my left shoulder and I move my right hand to it, the hand damp with pink ink when I move it in front of my face. _What the...is this...did she just fall asleep?_ I wipe my hand on the sheets around me before I move Pearl slightly away from me, tilting my head to the left slightly with a puzzled look when I see that she's sleeping with a peaceful expression on her face. "Oh, dear...she overdid it..." Marina says from my left, my body jumping in surprise as my head jerks to find her. Marine is close by and her hair tentacles gently move forward to lift Pearl off me, my hands and hair tentacles retracting to make it easier for her. "And I told her to take it slow too...like she ever listens..."

I give Marina a smile, sighing to myself at the mess she made of my crotch. "Yeah...Callie's the same way...they just do things without thinking about it..." Marina gives me a brief nod and smile before carrying Pearl to the head of the bed, lifting the sheets gently to place her underneath them. Pearl lets out a sigh as she rolls onto her right side, my face cringing slightly when I see her start drooling all over my pillow. _Good thing we have spares..._ "Nothing is happening between us tonight," Marine states with confidence, a sigh of relief escaping me involuntarily as I wipe my body with bed sheets. "Thanks...today was plenty eventful and I just wanna sleep now-"

"Whoa, slow down there Kosh," Marina interrupts and I pay close attention when she continues. "I didn't say nothing is happening between us at all. I expect you to take me out on a date tomorrow," she demands with an expression similar to one I've seen Flurry use before, a stern look that offered no argument and severe punishment on refusal. _At least I understand the threat..._ As I move forward and get under the bed sheets next to Pearl, I give her a smile and gesture with my head to the empty spot on my right.

"Fair enough...but you'll have to convince the others when we wake up..."


	40. Competition

**Chapter V: Competition  
**

* * *

I yawn happily when I wake up, finally having a full night's sleep without nightmares or interruptions. The mood stays even as I realize that two others are clinging to me and that I can't move. My cheek brushes against Pearl's cheek who's laying half on top of me, the moment shockingly intimate even after what happened yesterday. _At least her drool didn't land on me...I gotta wash that pillow later..._ It doesn't take me long to realize that I'm wrong, the feeling of wetness on my face and my left shoulder confirming my initial mistake. "Grossed out yet?" I hear Marina whisper from my right, a chuckle escaping me at the notion as Pearl starts to stir. "Hardly...she's like Scurry...she gets her ink everywhere given half the chance..." Marina giggles at me while one of her hair tentacles turns my head towards her, Pearl's face following my movement as she moves further onto me with a sigh. "It looks like she's really attached to you now...she's clingy in private..."

"Noted..." I whisper while trying to move her gently off me with hair tentacles but only soliciting her to tighten her grip, my body jolting from the sudden pressure. "Is there a...way to get her off?...Not in that way..." I whisper to Marina with a look of embarrassment and minor pain, her response to sigh lowly to herself. "I've never seen her do this so heavily so your guess is as good as mine," she whispers with a smile, my hair tentacles and arms pulling Pearl into an embrace on top of me as I attempt to move her bodily off me. Her response is immediate and surprising, her eyes still closed as a wicked grin crosses her face and her arms wrap around my neck. Her lips meet mine in a smothering kiss, one that I return in kind as a reaction. _I gotta play along if I want to get outta bed...but I admit it's enjoyable to play along..._

"Pearl...arent you coming onto him a bit too strongly?" Marina comments as our kissing deepens, my response unavailable since my mouth is occupied. I move my hand's palms upwards and shrug before returning them to Pearl's back and for her part, she slowly lowers the intensity of her kissing until she can speak. "He just...took a risk...and...I like him...a lot..." she pants as she moves forward again, smothering me with more kisses before I can speak. "Feelings...mutual..." I mutter between her kisses, trying to make her stop by pushing her away but only making her show more affection.

"Pearl...hold on a second..." I gasp, putting my hand in front of my mouth to stop her but Pearl's moves the hand away and continues, pinning both of my arms to the bed to make sure I don't attempt that again. _Suit yourself..._ My body surges upwards swiftly, causing her to release her grip on my arms that are now wrapping around her along with my hair tentacles. I give her an ample amount of kisses to make up for the sudden move and she finally decides she's had enough and pulls away with a gasp. "That...was fun..." she whispers to me with a smile, closing her eyes and putting her head on my shoulder while her hair tentacles brush my face. "Yeah...I guess it was..." I whisper back in a dry voice, grunting slightly as I swallow in a vain attempt to stay moist.

"If you both are done? We have somewhere to be," Marina interrupts with amusement, something landing on my head before my hand can catch it. My right-hand removes the cloth and holds it up in front of me, my head tilting slightly to the left at holding an old hoodie. "I haven't worn this in years...was this still in my closet? And why do I-"

Marina is already trying to unlatch Pearl from me with difficulty, her hands having to tickle her under her arms and her neck slightly to make her let go as I let go of her. "Aw! Why do you get a special day with him instead!?" Pearl moans as she's placed at the edge of the bed, surging to her feet and turning to stare at us with a frustrated expression. Marina and her exchange a glance that I don't understand before Pearl looks at me with a mixture of pity and amusement. "Oh...you poor squid..."

"What's going on? Is someone gonna explain this to me?" I state while moving to the bed's edge, sitting there for a moment to collect myself and look for my shirt and pants. When I look over as Marina, she has a deadly serious face on and is staring at me with an unfamiliar degree of intensity. My face pales as her next words ring in open challenge.

"If we're going to be dating now, you need to show me you can dance."

* * *

 _The Hall of Games...I've never actually been inside...its some sort of arcade?_ A hand lightly taps my right shoulder, my head looking to the right instinctively before facing forward again as the glass doors to the Hall of Games open for us. _And why are we disguised? I'm walking into this blind..._ Though washed and clean, my old hoodie irritates my skin and my hair tentacles felt squished inside it, squirming every so often in discomfort as we walk into the noisy interior. Some of the crowd around us stops playing their games for a moment to watch us head towards the main counter, hushed whispers exchanged among them as we approach a sales clerk who's looking shaken at our entrance. "You're...and who is...I mean, how can I help you?" the clerk manages to stutter, already keying in the proper software as Marina brings her squidphone out with her arms concealed in black sleeves, pressing it against the register on the desk to transfer information and authorize payment electronically.

Once the machine chimes its acceptance, she moves off without a word with me in tow, the eyes of squids around us still following our path. _What did I just get myself into?_ The answer reveals itself moments later as we approach a pair of machines, large screens with button pads that two squids are already playing. Astonished squids move from our path as we approach it with purpose and my body suppresses the urge to turn around and leave. _Oh no...Dance Dance Squid!? I'm terrible at this game!_

The moment is made more painful since we have to wait for the group already playing to finish, both of us watching them passively with arms crossed as squids around us murmur. They're playing one of the slower songs and one of them turns around in their dance, noticing us staring at her and displaying a mix of astonishment and shock on her face before turning around. My head turns to the left to regard Marina who's wearing a long, black hoodie to conceal herself. _Are you famous here?_

The song finally ends and we wait patiently for the two squid girls to move off the gamepad before we move into place. "Squids! We have special guests here today! The one and only Squid of Dance has graced us with her presence! Best behaviour!" the loudspeakers around us blare as Marina moves onto the platform and brings out her squidphone to browse through her song selection. My phone beeps as it receives a text from her, my face smiling as I read it. _We'll start slow? What's her definition of slow?_ Maritime Memory starts to play from the speakers mounted on the machines and I suppress a laugh at the poetry of the moment, loosening my body and getting into position.

The arrow prompts start to flow upwards and I move slowly and deliberately, my feet missing the floor buttons a few times as I get used to the positioning. I have to actively ignore the images flashing on the screen, a kimono-wearing copy of myself moving gracefully while the arrows flow upwards. _Why am I singing to myself!? Why do you have this, Marina!?_ The crowd around us is silent as we play and I can feel their eyes watching us as I play the game to the best of my abilities. The glances I sneak at Marina tell me that she's far more graceful at this, her movements precise and sure.

The song ends as soon as it begins, our feet pressing buttons the final buttons gently as the song winds down to silence. The crowd around us cheers slightly but Marina is already moving to her squid phone, the crowd hushing as they notice her movements. My phone is already in my hand and waiting for her next text tells me moderate pace. I don't have much time to prepare, Ink Me Up winding up as my body tenses and relaxes before the button prompts start flashing by. _OK...the song pace is what makes it fast...that and diagonals...wait, how do I do diagonals!?  
_

Despite my initial thoughts of being terrible at this, I'm keeping a decent pace and am actually hitting some of the notes in perfect time. The diagonal notes are difficult because I have to press two buttons at once and the song liked to chain different diagonals together. I try not to look at Marina's screen but the snippets I get show me that I'm an amateur playing against a master, her timing and flow much better than mine. I chuckle to myself at dancing along with a digital version of Marie while Marina dances for Callie. _Like I haven't already done this dance for them before...all I'm missing is my kimono..._

The song is slightly longer than the previous one, going through two repetitions of swift arrows and complicated patterns before deciding to patter out suddenly and without warning. It takes a considerable amount of effort not to look and feel tired, my body tense as the crowd claps momentarily before noticing Marina isn't done yet. My phone chimes again as I exhale in exhaustion, the words on my screen haunting me slightly. _Don't hold back...I don't like the sound of that..._ My body jumps to attention when Acid Hues starts to wind up, my body shaking itself out in preparation but my face paling at the speed of the arrows prompts and how many there are. _This isn't gonna end well..._

Like Marina suggests, I put all of my remaining energy into this last competition and focus completely on the arrows sliding past. I manage to keep pace with the arrows and even land some perfect timings but the speed and length of the song start to take its toll as I start to misstep. Sweat drips down my face as the song continues and I start to wonder if it'll ever end when it ends suddenly after four repetitions. The scores are tallied up and I'm disheartened to see that Marina beat me by a large margin. _Well...I guess I'm still not good at dancing..._ I turn around to put my left hand on the railing of the machine, no longer able to hide my exhaustion as I take deep breathes to cool down and wipe the sweat off my face with my right hand.

A hand pulls my hood away, my head looking up slowly to see Marina to my right with her hood also down. "Well...you lost..." she says timidly, a smile crossing my face at her casual statement. "Yeah...but it was fun anyway..." I reply groggily, groaning slightly when standing up to offer a hand to her. She instead pulls me by my hand into a hug, my arms moving around her back awkwardly as my head goes over her shoulder. I'm reminded of the crowd around us when they start to cheer, some of them with squidphones out either recording or taking pictures. _Great...more news to talk about..._ Marina whispers into my ear as she hugs me. "Just so you know...there was no chance you'd beat me...but I'm happy you tried your best..." I smile at being tricked again, rubbing her back as I respond. "I usually do...not by choice but I do..." She giggles at my statement, rubbing my back in kind as we embrace.

"One more for the road?" she whispers to me, a low laugh coming from my tired throat as I nod my head against her shoulder. We push each other dramatically away as we take our positions again, her squidphone already in her hand and selecting our final song as both of us remove our hoodies and place them on the railing to let our hair tentacles run free. I smile to myself as Color Pulse winds up, my body still tired as the prompts start displaying but the pace slow and easier to handle. I stop caring about doing well and enjoy the last song and dance instead, getting into the rhythm and probably making a fool of myself in front of the squids of Inkopolis. _Like I haven't done that already..._ I even manage to spin and flourish while keeping in step, not knowing or caring if I'm doing well or failing miserably.

With one final spin, the song slows down to a finish and my body turns to the crowd to give them a showy bow. The cheering distracts me enough to not notice Marina next to me, my smile turning to surprise when she gently turns me towards the screen and points at my score. _Perfect score?_ "How? I was just having fun with it-"

"It's our gift, Kosh. When we have fun instead of trying to do well, everything works out on its own. Did you never know about that?" Marina whispers to me while moving off the game platforms and guiding me away by the hand. _I wonder how this looks from the outside...they're taking pictures and recording us so I'll check the web later..._ Marina turns her head to the left and gives me a wicked smile as she pulls me through the crowds, her face dazzling in its happiness. _  
_

"Stop dragging your feet! We still have so much to do!"

* * *

"Table for seven, please," Marie states with a smile to a bewildered greeter, the squid stuttering gibberish for a moment before leading us inside. _Wasn't this supposed to be just Marina and I on a date? And isn't Ika Ryori a bit too high brow for us? I'd prefer the Crust Bucket any day..._ An elbow nudges my side as Scurry giggles from my left and I can imagine her grin as she gloats to me. "You have a look of disbelief on your face again. Behave yourself." Before I can answer, Callie and Pearl rush past me and our server to find a table on their own, the server looking on in confusion before guiding the rest of us after them. Not surprisingly, they choose the largest table in the centre of the restaurant, every squid in the entire establishment able to see and hear us if they wanted to.

I take my seat at random and Marina sits on my left while Scurry stubbornly refuses to give up her spot on my right. I laugh to myself when I realize that we're sitting at the table in the same seating arrangement we'd sit in at our own table back home. "Why didn't we invite the others from the penthouse? I'd bet they'd want to come to a place this fancy-"

"I thought we'd all sit down and clear the air among us," Marie states in a stern tone rich with undercurrents, the mood of the table shifting to serious as everyone sits up straight with neutral expressions. We wait patiently in complete silence to hear what Marie has to say. "Marina, Pearl. Though we've discussed the ground rules, there are a few things you need to know," she elaborates, Pearl and Marina nodding in agreement. _That's referring to me, isn't it?_ Everyone glances in my direction when Marie says this and I nod to Marie for her to continue. "Firstly, we'll now share a room so we expect it to remain clean and tidy. We'll go over that when we get home-"

Marie is distracted momentarily when the appetizers get to the table, soups and loaves of bread laid in the centre of the table efficiently and without comment. No one touches the food, waiting for Marie to finish her statements. "Secondly, if you do anything to hurt the feelings of anyone present, you have the rest of us to answer to." None at the table could miss the threat in her tone, my body chilling at the malace in her voice. _I've already seen how viscous punishment can get..._ "Lastly, we share the same bed and sometimes without clothing. If you plan on sharing ink in bed, tell the rest of us beforehand." I hear some low shuffling from around the table, smiling slightly at the discomfort. _So we finally got that one out in the open...I hope that makes things easier now._ Marie's mood shifts dramatically back to happy as she nods to us. "That's it. Let's eat now." _  
_

Callie and Pearl immediately go for the food, grabbing it with their hands and devouring it in seconds before they gesture towards a nearby waiter for his attention. The rest of us hadn't even moved before both of them are ordering more appetizers, a hand going to my smiling face in amusement and embarrassment as they overwhelm the poor squid with information. I eventually move from my seat and give him a clear and concise list of what they want, the waiter giving me a swift nod before heading off. "How did you get all that down so easily!?" Pearl asks me from her seat as I return to my own. Callie grins at me before answering for me. "Oh, that's one of his traits! He has really good memory."

Images start to flash in my head before I can stop them, unbidden in their intensity. _Ma'am, we have to go! The doppelgangers will overwhelm this position if you-_ Hands and hair tentacles wrap around me from my right, snapping me back to the room with a sense of disorientation. I breathe rapidly in shock at the realness of the memory, opening my eyes that I don't remember closing and snapping my head around frantically in panic. "It's alright...you're safe...deep breathes..." she whispers to me as more hair tentacles wrap around me, the purple and black hair tentacles indicating that Flurry is joining the embrace. I'm still breathing rapidly as she starts rubbing my hair tentacles to calm me down, my breathing slowing down gradually as my body stops shaking. "I...what just happened...?" I stutter, looking around to see the group staring at me with concern. "What do you remember?" Marie asks in a gentle yet stern tone, my head dipping slightly as the memory starts to become words.

"Sector 4...Zone 20...we went there a month ago to liberate a group of octarians trapped by the doppelgangers...one octoling stayed behind as a rearguard...I stayed with them..." I try to remain calm but the moment becoming difficult to put into words and my body starts to shake again. Though everyone else gives me leave to stop, Marie persists that I continue. I swallow as my mouth feels suddenly dry but I do as commanded. "She wanted to make sure her family got out...that the enemy didn't catch us before everyone got away...so we stayed and fought for as long as we needed...we almost got out...we-"

 _"That's it! They're clear! We need to move!" I shout at her, standing beside her to try and shield her with my ink shield as much as possible. Black ink impacts the shield repeatedly, breaking it before I can take cover. The octoling named Claire moves into cover beside me and starts to crawl along the ground of the building we're in, my body hitting the floor and following her rapid advance as ink sprays overhead. Something pings along the ground and my head jerks to the left, shock on my face at the sight of a Splat Bomb. Moving quickly, I dive on top of her as the Splat bomb goes off and coats me in black in, the pain intense but manageable as I roll off her._

 _My ink shield powers up in time as the first doppelgangers enter the room over the cover we abandoned, the black octoling leaping over it easily and aiming a weapon at me. I don't wait for them to fire, bringing my Hero shot up and pulling the trigger to explode the target before it can fire. I rip a Splat Bomb off my belt and throw it at the puddle for good measure before turning towards the octoling. She throws a Splat Bomb back as well before moving to a crouch and heading for the door with me following suit, moving to get near her and shield her from harm._

 _She opens the door before I can get to her, a doppelganger on the other side with an Inkbrush in its hands. I try to bring up my weapon but I'm wounded and slowed, my finger taking too long to pull the trigger. The doppelganger raises its brush-_

"You don't have to continue-" Marina tries to say before Marie cuts her off, ordering me to continue. _I didn't tell her the full story when I got back...only snippets...it hurt too much at the time..._ "He'll keep having these moments of weakness if he doesn't talk about it and now's the time when he's surrounded by those he cares about," Marie states sternly and I exhale again, Flurry rubbing my head to keep me calm as I continue. "There was a doppelganger in the doorway with an inkbrush-"

 _She dives to the right to give me a clear shot, my finger pulling the trigger and exploding the doppelganger before it could swing. Claire turns back for me and starts pulling me to my feet, shoving me into the doorway and shutting it behind her with a grin of amusement. "I thought you O.L.S. types are professionals. You're a bit lacking in performance so far," she says with grim amusement as I exhale in slight pain, both of us staying low and moving as quickly as we could to the checkpoint.  
_

 _Outside is no better, the buildings collapsed by ordinance and doppelgangers everywhere. It was just us versus a large group so we chose to sneak our way through, avoiding the patrols on the now vacant streets. The black ink on my body made it more difficult to sneak but I managed thanks to Claire helping me along and sometimes shouldering my weight. We're in running distance of the checkpoint when our luck ran out because it was being guarded by doppelgangers to prevent further escapes. We had little choice but to fight them, stealth now out the window as we rush out of the building we used as shelter at full sprint, weapons spraying in our hands at the unsuspecting foe. Except it was a trap because it wasn't just the ones near the checkpoint.  
_

 _Two other squads of doppelgangers burst out of buildings to our east and west, weapons spraying at us as we dived for any cover we could find. My ink shield breaks as I handle the west squad and she takes the east, both of us fighting for our lives against heavy odds. I manage to eliminate the west squad and turn back to see her handle the east, both of us nodding as we turn towards a now clear checkpoint and our victory. I hear it before it impacts, a loud pop emanating from the right that causes me to turn towards it. Where once stood Claire was now just a purple puddle, the sight almost freezing me on the spot before instincts kick in and I dive for cover as a second Splat Charger spray flies out. I stay low and crawl towards the checkpoint-_

"-we made it so far...and that's how she died...I couldn't do anything about it..." I finish in a whisper, closing my eyes as I start to feel tears building. "All this time...all this fighting...you'd think I'd be used to seeing squids get splatted...but...this one hurt the most because-"

 _"Your wife wanted me to give you this..."_ _I say evenly as I hand over a badge to the octarian Timothy from the doorway of his new home. He takes the badge with his tentacle with a grim nod, looking at it with mixed emotions. "Her badge of office...of being part of the octarian military...thank you..." he says grimly and I shake my head sadly before responding. "No...thank her...she gave it to me before she...was lost...I think she knew she wouldn't make it out..."_

 _"Where's mom!?" a voice cries from behind the octarian, my head looking down slightly to see an octarian child rush past Timothy and run at me. He starts to hit my knees with his fists, the blows too weak to cause any real harm. "What did you do with my mom!? What did you do to her!?" he cries at me and I move to a knee so that I'm face level with him. "I...I tried to save her but...the...monsters...they splatted her...I couldn't stop them..." The child's smart enough to understand what I'm saying because he starts sobbing uncontrollably on the spot, my arms already reaching forward to hold him out of instinct. His tears burn my shoulder and neck but I don't let go, listening to him cry himself hoarse over my shoulder at this great loss. I didn't allow myself to cry for fear of burning him with my own tears and Timothy eventually comes forward to carry him away, my arms releasing the child as he thanks me for what I've done and closes the door._

 _Only when I turn away and walk a good distance do I allow myself to cry, tears running down my face at my failure._


	41. Coping

**Chapter VI: Coping**

* * *

"I don't want to go home yet...I'd feel stale if I called the day off because I was being foolish..." I say to the group around me, looks of concern telling me they don't agree. The main courses are being served as Marie and I stare at each other for a moment, Flurry distracting me in the background by rubbing my head. "Kosh, it's OK if you want to postpone this until another day when you feel more...comfortable-" she says to me before I shake my head no, doing so vigorously to try and get Flurry to stop rubbing my head but succeeding only in making her giggle at the futility of my actions. My hands move up to try and stop her hair tentacles but they move out of my reach playfully. "Flurry, that's distracting. Can you not?" I groan in frustration while using my hair tentacles to try and move hers away but failing that as well. "Kosh, you know better than to try and stop her," Scurry states from her seat as a growl rumbles from my throat, my arms and hair tentacles stopping so I can focus on the food in front of me as her black hair tentacles lay on my shoulders and continue to rub my head.

My head whips up and to the left as something flies at me, my left hand surging forward to snatch a piece of sushi out of the air before it hits me in the face. Pearl and Callie laugh at my catch with bright smiles and give me brief applause. "I think he's fine! Let him have his day with Marina and if something goes wrong, we'll be on call!" Callie says enthusiastically as Pearl nods her head in agreement. My hand opens palm upwards as a black hair tentacle grabs the sushi from it and move it behind me.

A grin crosses my face as my hair tentacles surge backwards swiftly, gathering Flurry in them and moving her in front of me onto my lap. Her legs drape to the left as she looks at me in curiosity. "Alright, you know I'm uncomfortable with you doing that behind me and although this will look like favouritism, this is a compromise. Just...don't do anything too showy-"

She immediately does the opposite, wrapping her arms around my neck and giving me a brief kiss before turning back towards the others with her arms still in place. Thankfully, no one looks too upset at her show of affection. _That's because I'll hear about it later._ I look to my left at Marina who has a sad expression while eating her own food, my head turning back to Flurry as I gesture with my head back towards her. As one, we turn our hair tentacles on her and pull her towards us chair and all, her body going rigid as she's moved to sit closer to both of us. Flurry uses a black hair tentacle to gently turn Marina's head towards us. "Now now, Marina. There's no need to be glum. We'll only be here for this meal and then its just you and Kosh again, OK?" Marina quickly moves from sadness to embarrassment as forms a reply. "I...I didn't mean to come off like that...I just-"

Flurry is quick to put a hair tentacle over her mouth to stop her, smiling at her and casting me a sideways glance before continuing. "No worries. We're roommates now so we'll talk about it when we get home." Seconds is all it takes for Flurry to move off my lap and use her arms to move me onto Marina's lap, my legs draped to the right as both Marina and I stare at each other in equal surprise before turning our gaze on Flurry. "You two have fun now. Try to come back before nightfall," Flurry says in a motherly tone before moving away from the group to do her other errands. The others start to file away as well, some like Pearl and Callie laughing to themselves while others give us smiles and nods. Marie is the last to leave, finishing up the bill payment and heading right for us with a gentle smile. The seriousness of her words doesn't match her expression.

"Kosh is in your care for now...don't make me regret it."

* * *

"Are they always like that? So protective and scary?" Marina states over the comm as we charge insanely into ink sprays, doing our best to stay low and dive when needed. I don't answer because I'm busy throwing a Splat Bomb from my belt at a distant position before diving into the ink to avoid long-range ink sprays. "My sister is highly protective of him...overly protective actually," Drosyn elaborates as the sound of her Splat Charger sounds over the comm, a popping sound registering in the distance as Marina and I take cover behind a planter box. I smirk while looking over the planter, ducking my head swiftly as a spray of ink splats against the lip near my head. _This is your idea of a good time? Getting ink flung at us while talking about my relationships?_ "They mean the best. You just need to show them they can trust you."

"Sheldon already trusts you, Marina. He's your biggest fan," Drosyn adds as Sheldon exclaims her name in embarrassment as I chuckle to myself, Marina looking at me in confusion before I come back to the moment. _We're still getting ink sprayed at us._ I gently submerge into the ink beneath me, Marina following behind me as I rush out of cover at a rapid swim. It doesn't take me long to realize that it's a mistake, ink sprays immediately flying in our direction as soon as they see our swimming trails. _Scatter, scatter, scatter!_ My body follows the advice as I start to zigzag under the ink as Marina and I break away from each other to avoid the ink sprays. A Splat Charger spray blasts into my path unexpectedly, splatting me before I can reach safety and I growl in frustration as I rise out of the spawn point, shaking my head as I move out of the way. _I'm getting distracted! Clem can hit a moving target!_

A hand gently taps my left shoulder and my head wheels around to Marina smiling at me and nodding. "Kosh, you're taking this too seriously. Remember what I said earlier?" she says gently as I turn my head back forward, chastened slightly by her claim and mulling over her words. _Have fun with it and it'll solve itself...is it really that easy?_ A smile crosses my face as I take Marina by the right hand and start running towards Drosyn's position, Marina easily keeping in step as she asks for clarification. "Where are we going?" _  
_

"I have an idea..."

* * *

"This is a terrible idea," Drosyn states as she aims her Splat Charger towards enemy turf, my body loaded into the ink tank of the weapon. Even with her reservations and Sheldon's analysis of how this could go wrong, she does as instructed and releases the trigger to send Marina and I flying towards enemy turf at high speed. In the time it takes to leave the weapon, we arrive at our destination with a hard splat of ink and I feel nauseous from both the flight and the impact. I rise out of our impact puddle disoriented and on my side, falling onto my front with a groan as I try to get up. _Okay...maybe that was a bad idea..._ The sound of ink spraying plays in and out of my fuzzy hearing and a hand grabs my shoulders to drag me along the ground. "Ko...inda worked bu..." is all I hear before being placed back first against a wall, my head looking up in a daze to see Marina standing over me with concern.

A blur of orange flashes behind her and I pull her by the hand she's offering so that she falls onto me, clearing my line of attack as my other hand brings up my Splattershot and pulls the trigger. The ink spray impacts Tanrine and explodes her into a shower of green ink as I exhale in slight discomfort at forcing aching limbs to move, my mind also feeling bad since Tanrine didn't look like she was trying to harm us. "Why didn't you try to talk me out this?" I groan to Marina who surges off me suddenly. A Suction Bomb is sailing right at us and she uses her Splattershot like a club to hit the bomb back the direction it came, the bomb sailing away but exploding too close to us.

The force of the explosion knocks her back into me, a cough escaping me from the sudden weight increase and the gear she's wearing slamming into me. "I thought it was a good idea too..." she whispers before moving off me, both of us now winded with our backs to the wall and trying to recover before more squids show up. "Aw, zapfish..." I whisper as I see the form of Angelo rise out of a nearby ink puddle and start to approach us, my arms now too numb to raise my Splattershot again. "That wasn't very nice, Kosh. Tanrine just wanted to see if you two were OK," he says menacingly while drawing his Custom Splattershot Jr and taking the safety off with a flick. I give him a weak smile as he aims the weapon at my head and eases his finger onto the trigger. "Yeah...sorry about that..." _  
_

The sound of a weapon spraying makes me flinch as Marina pulls the trigger of her weapon, Angelo not having enough time to dodge the spray as he explodes into a shower of green that coats me with ink. I dive into the green puddle left behind, feeling myself regenerate in the ink and rising swiftly to help Marina into the puddle to do the same. As she dives, I check my holo and realize that we'd landed on target and just had to ink the area around us to win but before my Splattershot can spray, the ending whistle sounds and I groan in frustration at the irony. _Aw, zapfish! We had that!_

"Match over! Let's get the results!" Callie shouts through the loudspeakers, the sound making me smile. _You sound like you're enjoying this, Callie._ Marina slowly rises out of the ink at my feet and I help her up as she sighs to herself. "It's over, isn't it?" she says glumly as I give her a grim nod and smile in response. "Yeah...they countered our move...I mean, Clem and Whinter know how to do the squid launch better than us-"

I gasp as Marina pulls me into an embrace suddenly and squeezes me with too much pressure, part of me catching that something's wrong as I try to raise her head. Burning tears start to singe my chest and I awkwardly help Marina to her feet and strain to carry her, weakened limbs hurting as I start walking towards the spawn point. The others are walking towards me and notice what I'm doing, looks of excitement changed to looks of concern as walk gently past them and tell them my intentions in a low voice.

"Let's go home..."

* * *

"I was there...I was there when it all happened..." Marina says with her head down from her seat on the couch, her body rigid and shaking slightly. I wanted to hold her to help but she refused, saying that she needed to do this alone. "Two years ago...there were six of us...Drosyn...Flurry...Claire...Laurana...Steph...and me..." In front of all of us, she reaches into a pocket in her vest and pulls out an old photo, holding it in her lap with shaking hands. I'm close enough to see the contents of the photo, six black octolings standing at attention in full gear. Her finger points at one of the figures, a dark-skinned octoling with a grim face and a Splattershot. "This one's me...I was a new recruit...and that was my first mission..."

The connection hits me hard and brutally, my eyes widening at the implications as I recognize some of the other squids in the photo. "You...you were there when...the diplomatic mission..." I stutter as she nods her head sniffly, moving her other hand to wipe the ink away from her face as she exhales sadly. "We didn't recognize each other because I was in goggles...your brother triggered a Splashdown using his own vital ink...Steph...she...I was the furthest back from the group and she shoved me back...she didn't..." Her breathing becomes rapid as she starts to lose control, a hand going to her face as she lets out a sob. I'm already moving from my seat towards her to try and comfort her but she pushes me lightly back, insisting that she handle this alone. I growl at her in frustration and persist anyway, using my hair tentacles to push past her resistance until I have my arms around her. "Marina...I know the feeling so...you can't do this alone...let us help you-"

Her tears increase as she moves into a full sob, my arms pulling her towards me as she latches onto me and cries into my chest. "All those horrible things! Your family...your friends...our group hurt them all! And I didn't stop them! I ran away!" she sobs as I nod and look sadly over at Flurry and Drosyn who are sitting nearby, their heads lowering in resignation at the claims. Marina keeps sobbing as she continues. "I ran here to Inkopolis! I had to travel to the cities edge because of the ID locks on the checkpoints! I didn't want to fight anymore!"

"Yeah...I felt the same way...but you still kept your skills up to date, right?" I ask her, her head nodding slightly in confirmation as her tears continue to burn my clothes. _Now it's my turn to tell a story..._ I swallow as I try to form the right words. "Octavio ordered that mission...that's why it was your group...because Flurry and Drosyn are his granddaughters-"

The tears cease as she pulls away from me, her body turning to Flurry and Drosyn with unmistakable anger as they continue to look down. "You...you didn't tell us! You knew, didn't you!? You knew what was expected of us on that mission!"

"I knew..." Flurry glumly states, Drosyn looking at her in surprise as Flurry remains sad. "The orders we were given were to prevent the escape of the two agents...but my mission briefing was to splat them..." She looks at me with a sad expression as she continues, tears now in her eyes as well. "I was the one who splatted Glag...my finger was the one releasing the trigger...Dros just did cleanup..." Her head looks back downwards as Drosyn rubs her shoulders trying to comfort her but my head spins as my thoughts are flipped again, my body having to sit down with the implications. _She...she splatted Glag...but...she was just following orders..._ I manage a grim laugh as I state my response with bitterness. "And here I thought we were out of surprises..."

"That's why the Cap'n didn't deploy us instead...Callie and I...he knew too..." Marie states from her seat on the couch, our heads turning towards her as she looks at us with a sadness of her own. "He must've known he was sending agents into a trap...I don't think he expected you to live..." _No one did...especially not me._ I try not to sound upset when I ask her why but I fail but her answer is immediate and obvious. "He wanted a reason to officially reform the Squidbeak Splatoon...and you gave him one...and Octavio responded...they orchestrated a continuation of the fighting...I...I can't believe that..."

It was Marie's turn to break down into tears, Callie hugging her as she starts to sob and my mind starts to piece together the new events. _That's why he wanted to die...he knew what he did and wanted to fix it..._ Although I felt sad, I'm able to rebound and nod my head with a grim smile. "He made amends...he set us on a path to fix what we did and disbanded the Squidbeak Splatoon...that _must_ be worth something," I state while turning to look at Drosyn and Flurry. "Octavio...he went to the place where he knew we'd find him...he made himself a target...I think he was trying to make amends of his own-"

"He was never one for talk and apologies," Drosyn interrupts with a smile and a chuckle, sad laughter accompanied by tears. "He always tried to solve problems with action...well...he got his wish..." She continues to chuckle as she looks at Marina with a smile. "And I should've known you sisters are too stubborn to die..." Her smile doesn't last as she continues, the sadness returning as she lowers her head. "Except Steph...I found her gear and returned it...Laurana went crazy and I...I had to splat her before she splatted Scurry-"

"That was one of your own!?" I exclaim in surprise, my sadness replaced with anger for a moment. "Why didn't we try to save her or...or disable her so that-" Marina covers my mouth with a hair tentacle, my eyes flashing towards her in outrage but finding her expression grim as she nods for Drosyn to continue. She waits until I return to my seat before adding. "She was too far gone...you saw what she did to our own...I didn't want to believe it was her but...when I saw her at the fortress...I did what I had to do..."

"Something I should've done first..." Flurry adds in grimly, her face still sad and defeated. "I tried to help her but that mission...it broke her...Steph's death hit her hard and she lost it...but I couldn't bring myself to splat her...I was foolish to hope I could fix it...when I lead us there..." I sigh sadly as another connection is made, everything still falling into place as I lean back on the couch. "Claire...she got splatted a month ago...which means it's now just you three...you're all that's left of that group..." I say grimly but am interrupted when Marina moves towards Drosyn and Flurry, the three remaining sisters embracing sadly on the couch and sobbing to each other in sadness and relief. I give a relieved sigh and am sure no one notices me rise to leave and head towards our room, my mind now reeling as the world becomes that much larger.

 _No one won the Great Turf War...all we won was more suffering..._


	42. Reflection

**Chapter VII: Reflection**

* * *

My eye close as I exhale gently, letting myself float in the ink of the bathtub in an attempt to calm myself. _Today was crazy...I need time away from everyone...just for a moment..._ My eyes open slowly as my face goes grim, the sight of the ceiling framed by the tub's rim. _I hope it's over now...we have enough to worry about in the future..._ Someone knocks on the door and a familiar voice breaks my reverie as I sit up. "Kosh? Are you in there?"

"Yeah, I'm in here. Give me a minute to get out," I reply, groaning slightly in annoyance at being interrupted as I pull myself out of the ink and onto the bathroom floor. Everything is routine as I pull a towel off the rack with a hair tentacle to dry myself off, taking some time to look at my own reflection. Dark purple eyes stare back at me, my hair tentacles moving into view as I stare at a squid I barely recognize with grim amusement. _I don't know who I am anymore...am I really OK with that?_

I don't have an answer for myself as I wrap the same towel around my lower half and exit the bathroom, a quick check of the room finding only Marina sitting at the table. Her gaze wanders away from me when she notices I'm barely clothed. "Where's everyone else? Did something happen?" I ask her casually, her head snapping up to meet my gaze as she stutters a reply. "They...they're prepping food for later...they thought you'd want some time alone and...I came to check on you..." I start wondering why she's being so strange until I look down at the towel wrapping my lower half and look up at her embarrassed. "Oh right...you haven't...sorry...let me...get clothes on..." I stutter while moving towards the closet at a brisk pace, quickly pulling it open and pulling out a set of clothes. There's a brief gasp from behind me as I let the towel fall away, my level of embarrassment increasing before I can get my shorts and shirt on. _Maybe I should've told her not to look..._

I turn around and walk towards the table stiffly, moderately embarrassed as I take a seat. "It's a bad habit of ours if you're wondering...Callie and Flurry don't normally wear clothing when we're in our own room...you'll get used to that...that and-"

"You've tried to stop them but they don't listen?" Marina finishes, a smile crossing my face as she giggles. "Let me guess...Pearl is the same way?" I ask while turning to her, her immediate laughter causing me to laugh as I shake my head slightly. "We'll get along just fine then..." I whisper as she gives me a nod and exhales happily while laying back in her chair, my body doing the same and finally relaxing. One of her hair tentacles touches mine across the table and I smile in embarrassment as I brush the tentacle in return, my face blushing further when she adds more of her tentacles to the touching. _I don't know if I'm comfortable yet with being this close to her... "_ I have a serious question..." I blurt more out of embarrassment then necessity as I turn to face her, our hair tentacles still interlocked as her face goes neutral in confusion. My face goes neutral as well as I collect my thoughts. "Was there...ever any bad relations between you two? I mean...the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook?"

Marina immediately smiles as she shakes her head no. "No, there wasn't...at least, not in the way you're thinking. It's just...Pearl really liked you even back a year or two ago." My attention moves to full alert at the unexpected confession, my body moving upright from its slouch and turning towards her as she continues. "But...she was afraid at the time...she didn't want to ruin her chances because of...of her strength-" _Yeah...Callie's strength was quite the shocker..._ "-so she kept her distance...but then we had that news broadcast and...you were committed..." My head lowers in guilt as Marina gives a sad sigh before continuing, her face reflecting mine in its sadness. "It hurt her really badly emotionally...she almost went to Callie directly to yell at her for stealing you away...it took her a month just to talk to her again..."

"And as a gesture of good faith, Callie told her everything..." I finish for her, looking over to see Marina nodding at my statement and moving to a sad smile. "You did the opposite of what I thought you'd do...you committed to more squids even though you felt you we're overburdened...why? Why overextend yourself?" I grunt slightly before answering, a grim smile crossing my face as I look away and slouch in my chair again. "I'm not overburdened really. We all contribute towards the group so I'm not doing anything alone here." I shrug slightly and shake my head, feeling our hair tentacles tug slightly from my movements as I continue. "That and...I have a weakness for cute squids telling me they care about me...I...haven't learned how to say no to them yet..."

I hear Marina start laughing and turn my head towards her in irritation, feeling foolish for telling her what I did. "That's...that's not funny! It's a problem for me, OK!?-"

"-and the only reason you haven't shared ink with every 'cute squid' you've met is that they choose who you get to be with?" she says between laughs, my face fighting between irritated and embarrassed as I slouch further in my chair. "Well yeah...I mean...hey, stop laughing!" I snap as I turn back to her, Marina taking a generous amount of time to obey as her laughter fills the room. She has to wipe away tears before she looks at me, chuckling a few more times while doing so. "I'm sorry...it's just adorable that despite everything that's happened to you, you still care so much for others. It's...it's inspiring actually..."

There's a bitter quality to her tone that I barely pick up and I react to it immediately, rising out of my seat gently and picking up my chair with my free hair tentacles to move in front of her. Some hair tentacles are still held by others as I stare at her, her eyes looking into mine with hidden meaning. "I think I get what's going on here...just humour me..." I whisper while staring at her, Marina now very still as she stares into my eyes but not quite at me. I breathe deeply and look down slightly in an attempt to calm myself before continuing. "It's no secret we're similar...which means I can understand a bit of what you're thinking..." I start with, Marina now starting to look down as I look back up. _She doesn't like being put on the spot...just like me..._

Part of me doesn't want to continue and wants to go back to the previous happiness but the majority of me knows what I have to do. "Back then...two years ago...you probably blamed yourself for not doing enough to prevent that disaster..." I whisper, her head giving me a stiff nod as she keeps her eyes low. "You ran to Inkopolis to escape the fighting and...I take it Pearl was the one who took you in?"

She gives me another nod but doesn't look up as she responds. "She took me in off the streets...gave me somewhere to go...and I helped her with her career...and that's how Off the Hook was formed..." Tears of green ink start to gather in her eyes as she sniffles slightly, her head finally rising to meet mine with a sad gaze. "I thought it was OK...I thought I'd moved on from that mess...but here we are now, dragged back into the past...and everything is being taken from me again-"

I don't let her continue, my own tears starting to flow involuntarily down my face as I move to hold her. We react the same way as we embrace, both of us holding each other with arms and hair tentacles in anguish as the past resurfaces from painful memories. "You're...you're like me...you remember too well..." I stutter through sobs, her head giving me a brief nod over my shoulder as she sobs further. I don't feel the pain of her tears burning my skin because my mind is reeling from the trauma. _We want it to go away...why won't the past stay there...why won't it leave us alone..._ "And I...I don't even know who I am...I..." I choke out while trying to wipe my eyes with my right hand, a few gasps escaping me as I try to calm down. "Things are better now...the hurt is there but...it's better now...that's what matters..."

My left-hand rubs behind Marina's head out of reflex, her sobs lowering slightly as I rub the hair tentacles. "Did I...did I do something wrong?" I ask gently, her head nodding briefly on my shoulder before explaining in a shout. "Pearl's so happy with you! She'll have no need for me around! I'll just...I'll just get in the way!" My back gives a throb of pain saying that the position I'm in is uncomfortable, my body responding by gathering up Marina in arms and hair tentacles to carry her to the bed to sit.

 _I'm surprised at how vulnerable she is right now...  
_

* * *

It's a short trip to the bed and when I start to move her to sit next to me, she doesn't let go of my neck and her hair tentacles start to wrap around my body. I don't say anything and instead, rub her hair tentacles and back gently while listening to her low sobs. It takes all of my willpower to avoid breaking down again and after a few minutes of mutual struggling with our emotions, Marina is able to slowly wiping her eyes. "I'm...sorry...I've...never done that before..." she whispers as I exhale in relief that the episode had passed for both of us. "You kept that bottled up for a while...how do you feel?" I ask her in a gentle tone, smiling when she moves looks at me with a peaceful expression. "I feel...a lot better...less gloomy and...I don't know how to describe it-"

"Confident?" I offer to her with a nod, her head giving me a nod as she starts to smile. "Yeah...confident...and...thank you..." Her body presses against mine suddenly I have to move her in front of me on my lap and put an arm back to prevent us from falling. "No worries...and if you need someone to understand...I'll be here...that and you live with us now-"

One of her hands and some of her hair tentacles move underneath my shirt, my body jumping slightly as they rub the skin underneath. "Um...are we about to...do things?" I stutter as my shirt is pulled off me, our eyes meeting suddenly as she starts to undress me. _I know that look..._ "Is it weird that you're about to share ink with someone so similar to yourself?" she retorts as my hands and hair tentacles start to undress her as well, black leather coming away with a few movements as she pulls off my shorts. _This is surreal...I'm really about to do this..._ "If I'm being honest? The weirdest thing I've done is share ink on a bathroom counter with Scurry...and maybe I...shouldn't have made that comparison..." I whisper as I smile awkwardly, her face smiling similarly when she notices that we're both in our underwear. "OK...maybe it's a bit weird that we're similar...but I can get over it though..." I whisper as I move forward to kiss her, her face doing the same and both of us stop when we notice the other. Our skin and hair tentacles are rubbing against each other now that the clothing is absent. "As can I...and if I had to guess, a part of you is waiting for the right moment to do things. Am I getting warmer?" she whispers back with a smile, my face blushing purple at her comment as she holds me closer. "Was I...obvious? Or was it-"

"No...I only know that because...it's what I was thinking..." she whispers in embarrassment, her face now flushed green as she looks away. "OK, maybe I was thinking that too...and since we're being honest with each other...this is getting awkward..." I stutter but we suddenly look at each other and something clicks in both of our heads. Marina moves on top of me and pushes me onto my back as both of us move away from the edge of the bed and towards the middle. Our hair tentacles touch each other lovingly as we both cover ourselves with the blankets, my look of surprise mirrored on her face when we finally come to rest. "How did we...you know what? Nevermind...this is gonna take some getting used to..." I stutter while looking away with a blush, her head nodding in response as she lays on me. "How did I know...how did you know...how to do that?"

"I just...went with what I thought...was comfortable..." I whisper before putting a hand to my face and chuckling at how ridiculous we're being. "I think we're over complicating this..." I add, her response to move her head over my shoulder and embrace me with a happy sigh. "Are you thinking 'do what feels natural' right about now?" she whispers to me, her body rubbing against mine as my hands rub her back. "What would be natural for you in this situation?" I ask timidly and am not disappointed when she meets my face to smother me with a kiss instead of answering. _This is probably real but...I can't believe it..._

The warmth and wetness of our kiss help bring me back to the now but the intensity increases as I feel passion start to cloud my head, both of us losing our inhibitions at the same moment. I feel her pull me onto my side and push herself close to me as we continue to kiss, my body starting to vibrate from the pent-up urges trying to break free. _She won't stop me if I try anything...but is she thinking the same thing?_

It doesn't even enter my cloudy mind to pull away, no words exchanged as we embrace long enough for me to start sweating from the combined body heat. I try to think through the haze but my mind can't tear itself away from our exchange, her kiss slow as she entices me to continue. It's with great reluctance that I pull away, her face still trying to kiss me until she opens her eyes and stares at me in equal disappointment. "That was...intense..." I whisper before letting instincts take over again, our arms tightening around each other as we kiss again. My hands move to remove her underwear, swift movements tossing the clothing under the blankets but out of the way. My mouth closes reluctantly to give Marina a signal to stop kissing, a shuddering gasp escaping me when I feel her chest rub mine as she pulls away. "Is something wrong?" she manages between breaths as she swallows lightly. I close my eyes to try and think but she makes it difficult by gently pulling me closer to her and putting my head on her shoulder.

"One thing I keep going over...I already told you I have the Kraken gene...but...you wouldn't have-" I try to say but she playfully growls into my ear in a familiar manner, the sound making me understanding. "Does that answer your question?" she whispers as she moves me away from her shoulder and kisses me further, my face smiling as I close my eyes and fall back into the moment. _This is...dangerous...I can't...break away..._ I breathe gently out of my nose when I feel myself connect, a slow and steady push from her body pushing me into her. Our kiss breaks for a second as we both gasp lightly but she smiles gently at me with a giggle. "You're doubting...you can't believe there's someone so similar to you...I don't either..."

"Stop reading my thoughts..." I whisper in playful annoyance, a gasp escaping me again as she gently moves her hips. "I'm sure with enough exposure...we'll figure out what's different..." I continue before words fail me, the sensations of warmth and wetness from her insides and her kisses causing my eyes to close again and my hair tentacles to wrap around her further. There's a desperation to our movements as our final inhibitions break down, hair tentacles and hands holding each other desperately as we move our hips. "I love you..." I hear her whisper between gasps, my face smiling at the words. "I love you too-"

"Marina! You were supposed to just check on him! What do you think you're doing!?" a familiar voice shouts from behind me, our bodies flinching slightly and stopping completely at the interruption. I move Marina's on top of me so that both of us can turn our heads towards Pearl who's standing angrily near the doorway with arms crossed. Callie and Marie are behind her in the hallway but not as noticeably angry. "I think we're in trouble..." I whisper to Marina idly without meaning to, her head nodding in my peripheral vision. "I'm pretty sure we're in trouble..." she says as well before we both do the same actions of looking at each other, looking down at the mess we made of ourselves, back at each other and back towards Pearl who hasn't moved from her spot. We look at each other again and come to a decision, smiling to ourselves as we tell those watching the same thing.

"Give us a few minutes..."

* * *

A few minutes was a poor estimate because it takes us a long time to break away from each other. Our preference to continue at a slow pace doesn't help either and we don't even wait for the others to leave before continuing our expression. Callie insisted on staying to watch and Marie agreed to do as well, both of them now staring in silence as Marina and I lose ourselves on a level that I hadn't experienced before. The only thing that finally stopped us was the growl of our stomachs as hunger set in, both of us breathing hard from exhaustion and unsatisfied urges.

"I've...never seen you like that, Kosh. That was...interesting to see," Marie states calmly as she rises out of her seat to leave but I can't even nod because my body feels too tired to move. Callie comes towards us with a wide grin as she puts the blankets over us. "You two take a nap for a little bit and we'll come back later, K?" she says energetically to us, my eyes already closing as sleep overpowers me.   


I wake up a few moments later still exhausted but less than before, my entire body is sticky with sweat and ink as I pull the blankets off. Hair tentacles are still wrapped around my body and arms are around my back as Marina clings to me, her eyes slowly opening as she stirs. "That was...wonderful..." she whispers as she holds me closer, my face smiling and blushing as I return her embrace. "I think we let the Kraken gene out...and we made a mess..." I whisper as I slowly pull myself upright with a groan, Marina still clinging to me as we sag against each other. "That's why we're attracted to you...my sisters and I..." she whispers suddenly as she sighs, my head moving slowly as I blink a few times. "You mean...both you and your sisters-"

"All six of us have the Kraken gene...it's why we were part of the same unit...and we knew you had it by smell alone..." she whispers timidly as I sigh sadly, more pieces falling into place in my head as I take my time to form my thoughts into something coherent. "It's why Dros spared me back then...and why Flurry didn't splat me...it also explains how Dros found me so easily and how Dros could find her sisters..." I whisper but with growing irritation, an annoyed groan escaping me as I lean my head back slowly and look at the ceiling. "I'm getting tired of all this. I'm special for reasons I don't understand and I can't even call myself a species. I don't even know _what_ I am, let alone who-"

"Does it really matter?" she asks as she moves her face to stare at me, the gentleness of her phrase stopping my ire. "Species, like normal, is just a word. It doesn't mean anything and we just spent an entire news broadcast discrediting the use of the terms. You aren't second-guessing that, are you?" There's no mistaking the challenge in her tone and I smile to myself when I answer with a no. She puts her head on my shoulder and I blush when I feel her chest touch mine. "Stop worrying about it then...or do I need...to convince you..." she says seductively and I'm sorely tempted to take her up on her offer but find myself saying no.

"We're in enough trouble...let's go eat dinner now..."

* * *

There's a combination of amusement and outrage when we finally arrive to take our seats at the table. "Jeez, Kosh. I knew you were easy but I didn't know you were _that_ easy..." Scurry gloats from my right as I sit down, my right hand shoving her shoulder lightly in annoyance but only causing her to laugh harder. "Things just...happened is all..." I respond with embarrassment but Pearl is quick to swallow her food and retort. "You guys are supposed to be the passive ones! I didn't expect such a bold move from either of you!"

"We just...fell into that..." Marina whispers from her seat on my left, my head turning to see her timidly eat a piece of sushi. "That's one way to put it!" Callie shouts from her seat, spilling some food from her mouth onto the table to my visible annoyance. "I expected as much actually. It's why I sent Marina to check up on you," Marie adds in a matter of fact tone, eyes turning on her in confusion as my mouth opens to say something. A piece of sushi is placed into my mouth before I can say anything and I quickly chew and swallow the sushi before answering. "So you...knew what was gonna happen? And if that's the case...Pearl, did you know about this?"

"I did but Marina and I agreed I'd share ink first! That first time we had doesn't count and now Marina went and swept you off your feet!" she exclaims angrily, almost rising out of her seat in outrage before Marina puts her hair tentacles on her shoulders. "I thought this wasn't a competition..." she whispers almost in shame while attempting to calm her down but Pearl shrugs off the hair tentacles angrily and surges from her seat. She stops for a moment to stare in fury at Marina before storming off towards our room and I see from everyone's expressions that this wasn't planned. "I'll handle this," I say with as much confidence as I can muster before inhaling a last piece of sushi and leaving the table to go after Pearl.

The door's locked when I arrive, a groan of frustration escaping me as I go for my squidphone. _Again? You squids really think this can stop me?_ I quickly browse through my apps with my thumb, finding the master lock override that Sheldon had put on my phone and pressing my thumb to the display. It quickly reads my thumbprint with a chime before I put the phone to the door, another chime sounding as the door unlocks and opens automatically. The lights aren't on but I can see Pearl glowing pink in the darkness and sitting on the edge of the bed with her head low, a small puddle of glowing ink on the floor from what I assume is her tears. I couldn't help but feel bad for making her go through this, my body already starting to glow purple as I cross the room and sit down next to her. "Talk to me, Pearl. What did I do wrong here?" I whisper to her, her response immediate and angry. "We struggled to be intimate that first time and you just 'fell into it' with Marina! How do you think that makes me feel!?"

I don't answer, sighing to myself and closing my eyes to concentrate on changing my body to another form. My height reduces and my hair tentacles shorten, the glowing changing from a dark purple to a bright pink as my eye glow a dull gold. It takes me a few seconds to adjust to the new height perspective and the darkness before I turn to a very surprised Pearl with a smile. "Zapfish! I forgot you could do that! Wait, I...I'm still mad at you!" she stutters, a chuckle escaping me as I put my arms around her neck and pull her closer. I'm expecting her to bite me or hit me but she does neither, her face glowing a bright pink from my phosphorescence as I move her into a kiss. She tries to push me away with her arms but as our lips meet anyway, her hair tentacles latching onto my face and her arms moving around my body to squeeze me tightly. _It doesn't hurt!? It doesn't hurt!_

Not questioning how or why her embrace isn't crushing me, I quickly move my arms under hers to pick her up to move her further away from the bed's edge. She giggles in response and gives my back a hard tug, pulling me on top of her and kissing me with more fervour. I try to pull myself back from her but her hair tentacles and arms keep me in place, forcing me to unzip her dress while we embrace. She takes the hint and has an evil grin on her face when she loosens her grip, hands already moving along my back to pull off my shirt with a yank.

"This is much harder to do in darkness..." I whisper idly while undoing Pearl's bra and panties with gentle pulls, flinching slightly when she pulls off my shorts and underwear in a single yank and a giggle. "Don't play dumb...it's not that dark..." she gloats at me while gesturing at her glowing body parts with her left hand but I don't look down at her gesturing because I'm focusing instead on aligning my body with hers and kissing her cheek lightly. When we lock eyes, she gives me a tense nod as I push myself gently forward, her hands digging into my back as she moans in discomfort and excitement. I have to wait for her to get comfortable before pulling us upright, Pearl shuddering a moan as her limbs wrap around my body.

"I'm sorry for making you cry...let me make it up to you..."


	43. Sharing

**Chapter VIII: Sharing**

* * *

Something wet is on the right side of my face and something noisy is nearby when I start to wake up. It's difficult to open my eyes because they feel sealed shut and I move my hands to wipe them, my left hand stopping when I feel skin that isn't mine. I briefly exhale as I switch to my right-hand to wipe my eyes, finally able to open them and blink them into focus.

Pearl is the first thing I see, blocking the left side of my vision as she snores in my left ear with her tongue touching my face. _I know drooling over me is meant to be a compliment but the literal action is less pleasant..._ I turn my head to the right, grunting at how dry I feel and the feeling of Pearl's tongue rubbing across my cheek. Marina, Flurry, and Drosyn are bundled together facing each other on my right and I smile when Sheldon tries to peek up from under the sheets, visibly struggling to manoeuvre around Drosyn's grip in an attempt to escape. He notices my gaze in his struggle and gives me an embarrassed smile before being pulled back to Drosyn's chest. I let my head loll back to stare at the darkened ceiling, smiling to myself as memories start to trickle back into my mind. _It was a good night._

The grip around my neck and back tightens slightly as Pearl's tongue goes back into her mouth and she exhales before opening her eyes slowly. "Did we...get intimate this time?" she whispers before closing her eyes again and getting comfortable, a brief chuckle escaping me before I answer. "Yeah...and I feel exhausted..." I whisper back, closing my eyes as well and exhaling to emphasize the claim. "I can't see past you...what's on my left side?"

"Present..." I hear Callie whisper from my left, my eyes opening again to wander to the left before I chuckle again at finding Pearl blocking my view. I try to move Pearl over to my right side but she refuses to move, my left arm pulling and pushing her body to no effect. Pearl giggles to herself and wipes the left side of my face with a hand before pressing her cheek against it with a happy sigh. "Callie, Marie, and Scurry are on that side...I think they're already awake too-"

A hand touches my rear, causing my body to jolt upwards as I hear a giggle from Scurry and Pearl giggles as well when she feels me squirm. "I'll have to use that move sometime...I didn't know that was one of your weak spots." I growl without meaning to and am immediately greeted by two hair tentacles patting my head. "Calm down..." I hear Marina say, exhaling to calm myself before trying to move. Pearl follows my movements as I go upright and just to make sure, I press a hand against Pearl's stomach to dislodge her and am not disappointed when she clings to me more tightly.

The sheets fall away from us and there's an audible groan of annoyance from Scurry as she pulls the blanket away from us to cover herself again. "Right..." I groan while moving my hands around Pearl's upper and lower back to brace her. Her legs wrap around my waist as I start to shimmy towards the front of the bed, my legs draped over the edge but unable to reach the floor. "Right...different height..." I whisper idly before sliding forward, my feet thumping against the floor.

As soon as my eyes fully adjust to the gloom, I notice the mess of clothing all over the ground with frustration. _Come on, squids...there's a basket for the clothes...and it's right there!_ Thanks to Pearl clinging to me and my current lack of hair tentacles, I can't do anything about it and now have to carefully step over the mess to avoid tumbling to the floor. "We made a mess..." Pearl idly whispers while rubbing her face against mine again, the action almost causing me to step on a discarded shirt. "Let's...not do that while there isn't slipping hazards..." I whisper back and exhale in relief when I step out of the hazard zone into the open floor. Pearl's face goes back to rubbing mine when she notices the same thing, a hum of enjoyment coming from her as we make a path towards the bathroom. "You're rubbing your ink further into my skin..." _  
_

"It'll wash off..." she giggles before kissing me gently on the cheek, my face now blushing as my left hand opens the bathroom door awkwardly. I snort to myself when as a joke, I release both arms but Pearl's body doesn't move from its position on me. "Do you...want me to let go?" she asks with the disappointment clear in her tone and her head lowering in defeat. "Quite the opposite. Make sure you don't fall off while I get the bath running," I answer with a smile and put my right hand to bath fixture to get ink running while my left-hand moves back to her waist. "Wait...are we...bathing together?" she asks with a hint of embarrassment and a generous amount of excitement, my body already moving to sit in the tub to demonstrate my answer. The gentle hiss of my body entering ink is followed by a grunt of surprise. "That's a...nervous reaction...other ink colours scare me when I'm submerging in them..." _I'm not sure if she knows._

"Because of the diplomatic mission?" she offers, an exhale of regret escaping me as I embrace her tightly. _Of course, she knows. Callie told her everything after all._ "Yeah...that was a traumatic moment for me...and even after two years, some things stick around for that long..." My hand move to Pearl's hips so I can move her back slightly so that we can face each other, her face now sad yet understanding. I try not to look too sad. "About...Marina and I-"

I don't get to finish because Pearl puts one of her hair tentacles over my mouth with a sad smile. "It's OK...I already understand...it's not your personality to take something...you only know how to give...and I'm sorry..." Her expression changes rapidly from happy to anguish as her tears start to flow down her face and my arms bring her back towards me as she starts to sob. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I tried to take you away! To keep you like some object! I'm sorry!" she shouts between sobs, my hand brushing her hair gently as I try to calm her down. "Pearl...you don't have to be sorry...and if it makes you feel better, Callie has the same problem-"

There's a brief surge of movement as she pulls away from me, staring at me with a look of sadness and tears but now with disbelief. "She doesn't show it but she has a clingy personality and low self-esteem too. That why she needs Marie. They balance each other out...and its why you need Marina...I wasn't going to take her away from you..." Even though I'm using a comforting tone, Pearl's face stays in anguish as the understanding hits and I pull her back into an embrace as she sobs further. "She told you, didn't she? That she would be by your side until you both grow old and she would come for you no matter the obstacles-"

"How do you...how do you know that?...I've never-" she manages before breaking down into further sobs, my hand brushing her hair tentacles as I whisper to her. "Because we think alike...and that's what I would say and have said...she's not trying to take anything from you because it's not her personality..." I close my eyes as she keeps crying anyway and my hand keeps rubbing her hair tentacles while my other hand tries to reach for the ink in the tub. A minor grunt of annoyances escapes me when my hand can't reach the ink, my body slowly tipping Pearl forward so I can reach.

We reach a point where I tip too far forward and I feel our weight increase, my body trying to pull back upright to prevent us from falling but too late. Pearl gently splashes into the pink ink and I land on top of her, a yelp of surprise from both of us stopping Pearl's sobs. "Sorry about that...I was trying to reach the ink but...we fell..." I whisper in embarrassment while trying to pull us upright again but my body is forced back forward as Pearl uses her weight to pull me with her arms and legs. She smiles ruefully when she responds with mock disgust. "You're despicable...taking advantage of a crying squid..." _  
_

"Well, if this is gonna happen..." I retort while putting both arms behind Pearl's back to lift her upright, her back now slick with ink as she stares at me with upset yet expectant eyes. "Just...go easy on the biting..." I whisper but am unable to say more when her lips suddenly meet mine, my body relaxing as we kiss. _I can't tell what they want...I can only guess..._ A low moan escapes me into Pearl's mouth when she connects our bodies further, the sensations of warmth and wetness from her insides along with her skin rubbing against mine threatening to overwhelm my brain with enjoyment. I try to pull away from her kiss to say something but her hair tentacles latch onto my face and pull me back towards her as she starts to move. _She's taking charge...I need to relax.  
_

My eyes close as my resistance fades, my body and mind relaxing so that Pearl can take the lead. As soon as she feels my arms move from her back to over her shoulders, her face pulls away from mine with a giggle and moves to my neck. I wince slightly as she playfully bites my neck and left shoulder. "Is this how you spend your time after sharing ink? Bathing with the squid you just shared ink with?" Pearl asks playfully between bites before licking my neck where she had bitten. "Not exactly...the only ones who like sharing ink in the bathroom are you, Callie, and Scurry..." I reply while jolting slightly when her teeth nibble my left ear playfully, my body trying its best to remain calm in the face of her teasing. Her teeth leave my ear as she whispers into it. "We know you enjoy it...being our playmate...you didn't stop any of them either, did you?..." My head nods lightly in agreement as she resumes nibbling my ear and all the while, moving her hips and keeping my body in place with her arms. She releases my ear moments later to whisper to me again. "So when are we telling Inkopolis about us?"

"Preferably after Splatfest...we have enough to...plan for..." I manage through the sensations but before I can say more, Pearl moves her face in front of mine and smothers me with another kiss that gags me with its intensity. My hands start to move to her shoulders as a reaction before I stop myself and return them to her back. _I wonder if she noticed that..._ My eyes close again as my body betrays me, the feeling of my ink spraying into Pearl causing her to moan loudly into my mouth. Pearl relaxes her grip on me as she pulls away with an excited gasp, the feeling of light indents on my skin from her fingers slowly subsiding as my body fixes itself. "I...didn't mean to do that...you just took me by surprise..." I whisper in embarrassment but Pearl rubs her face against mine again with a happy sigh. "We should probably clean ourselves now. You have a busy schedule to keep, right?" she whispers into my ear before nibbling on it again. My right-hand reaches for the ink in the tub in response but another groan of frustration escapes me when I realize I'm still unable to reach it. Pearl sees the gesture and gives me a wicked grin as she pulls me with her into the ink of the tub, wrapping herself around me as I blush brightly. _  
_

"Fine...we can go again..."

* * *

Pearl is first out of the bathroom with a broad smile and an energetic twirl while I follow behind her slightly winded with shoulders slumped. Callie and Marie are quick to move into the bathroom as we vacate, both of them giving me knowing smiles as I sigh in exhaustion and move to the mini fridge across the room to check it for anything edible. Pearl twirls back behind me as I walk forward and leaps onto my back, nearly causing me to fall backwards from the additional weight.

"You weren't kidding, Marina. She really is like Callie," Scurry says idly from the table nearby, my body turning to the left slowly thanks to Pearl on my back to see her and Marina sitting at the table with food and drinks prepared. Both of them were still naked from earlier and Scurry's wide grin makes me sigh again. _They probably wanted to see how far I'd get before realizing the foods already out here._ I move as fast as able, every step an effort thanks to Pearl on my back until I finally reach the table and reach for a cup of lemon tea. "You look so different when you're short. Is that what you think Pearl likes?" Scurry gloats in her usual fashion and I shrug lightly as I down the lemon tea in a single gulp, gasping in relief at being hydrated. "I don't ask those questions when these things happen, remember? I...guess..." I respond timidly, slowly trailing off as an epiphany strikes. _All I've been doing is guessing and it's worked out so far...but what will happen when I guess wrong?-_

"Kosh, you're doing fine. Remember our gift?" Marina states before using a hair tentacle to grab a piece of sushi and move it to her mouth. I chuckle slightly and smile at them as I pass some of the food and drink to Pearl who takes them with her right hand while continuing to hang onto me with her left. "Maybe I'm overthinking this...I guess I've been having fun...though all of this is unexpected and if I'm being honest, surreal." I use my left hand to point towards Pearl who is noisily eating over my right shoulder. "I have Pearl and Marina living in the same room as me. Callie and Marie are in the bathroom. My sister is sitting right there and Flurry is-"

Hair tentacles wrap around both Pearl and I, lifting me off my feet and turning me around. I move my arms around Flurry as she embraces me with her own arms. I'm not fully prepared for her crying face. "Thank you...for bringing my sisters back together...I thought I'd lost everyone..." she whispers lowly and I tighten my embrace and move my head over her shoulder when I catch the hidden meaning behind her words. "I forgive you, Flurry-" There's a brief sob from her before she can form a reply. "Why? I splatted your brother and nearly splatted your sister by proxy. I even splatted you in front of Inkopolis. Every decision I've made has hurt you in some way. Why are you forgiving me so easily?"

The mood sours swiftly for me as more harsh memories trigger from her words, a thought I'd suppressed for two years reaching my lips. "I had my revenge already and it cost me my hero's life..." I growl in a low voice and I'm not surprised that angry tears start rolling down my face. _Why did they have to die for their mistakes!? Why couldn't they just fix them!?_ "I've taken more from you then you have from me...I don't have any right to hold a grudge..." I continue while closing my eyes to try and keep my emotions under control. A hair tentacle starts to wipe my tears and it takes me a few seconds to realize it isn't one of mine. When I open my eyes and see the hair tentacle wiping my face, I realize it isn't one of Flurry's either because the same hair tentacles are wiping her eyes as well.

Both of us look to our right to see Drosyn give us a playful sign of annoyance and a neutral expression. "Enough of that, both of you. That's all in the past now so there's no point getting sad over it again. Let's focus our efforts on the future." Sheldon is held to her chest as always and judging by his hands wiping away tears from his face, we weren't the only ones having a moment. A smile crosses my face as I turn back to Flurry who turns back to me in confusion before I gesture with my eyes towards Drosyn. Her face smiles as she understands my gesture and her hair tentacles latch onto Drosyn to bring her into the embrace, Sheldon letting out a yelp as he's squashed between us.

"I'm ready...to get off this emotional ride," Sheldon groans as he tries to slip out of Drosyn's grip, a chuckle escaping me as Drosyn keeps him in place. "Sheldon, you know that isn't going to work. Once an octoling gets a hold of you, there's no getting away," I whisper but he struggles for a few more seconds anyway. When it becomes clear that he can't free himself, he crosses his arms in mock annoyance. There's a giggle in my left ear as Pearl nestles her head over my shoulder. "So that means you won't let go either, right? After all, you're an octoling too." I nod my head in agreement but look down at my current form and snort slightly before looking back at Flurry who's holding me above the ground.

"Well...not right now..."


	44. Eleven Days

**Chapter IX: Eleven Days  
**

* * *

"Do I really have to change forms for each of these performances!? And why am I in all of them again!?" I blurt angrily at Callie who's showing me the song list with an amused expression. "Maybe if a certain someone wasn't so willing to cosplay-" she starts to say before I groan in irritation and embarrassment, looking away from her to stare straight ahead. I feel her presence move closer to me on the couch and her face rubs against mine without warning. "And this time we get to have our own song together so quit acting ungrateful!"

"What was this Splatfest's theme again?" I ask Marie to my right who shows me her squidphone, Callie's face still against my left cheek as I turn my head. _Vampires versus Werewolves? What are either of those?_ "I take it we don't really understand the theme this year?" I say while trying to get Callie to stop rubbing my face by pushing her away but she latches onto me with her arms and hair tentacles to prevent it. "I did some research," Marie starts to explain while drinking a milk tea. "A vampire is a creature that's cursed to drink the ink of squids, cursing everyone they bite with the same affliction. Werewolves have an ancient disease called lycanthropy. Those afflicted grow more hair, become more aggressive, and eat the flesh of other species." _Zapfish, that's a grim theme. That theme machine has an odd sense of humour._ Ignoring Callie's continued face rubbing and being unable to make her stop, I continue the current line of conversation. "We're not trying to put the theme into the show, are we?"

"No, Kosh. We do what we do every year; ask the fans what they want and deliver it. I made sure Callie didn't add those types of questions to her poll," Marie states with a mix of annoyance and amusement, a half smile crossing her face for a moment. I smile in return and try to look at Callie but her face keeps rubbing against my left cheek, preventing me from seeing her and from turning my head very far. "You tried to get us to do the theme on stage, didn't you?"

"Both of you are no fun at all! I thought it was a great idea but Marie's a total traditionalist! Where's the flare for the dramatic!?" she exclaims while turning my head to look at Marie, my right hand going to my face in an instant at getting involved in the argument. "Callie...talk with us first and maybe we would agree?" I state but a deviant thought occurs to me as Callie groans in annoyance. I smile in embarrassment instead and in a low voice, I ask both of them timidly, "Are we...doing what we did last year?" Callie's face stops rubbing mine as she starts thinking about it with a hum, Marie also stopping her tea drinking to ponder but not for long. "We aren't doing the fan panel because we wanted a break from that this year and as for...the other event..." Marie states, starting to blush and lower her head slightly before continuing. "If you're willing...we can do that again-"

"Oh no, you don't!" Scurry adds in from my left, my head whipping to the left and pushing Callie's face along with it to see her grinning at me in her stage outfit. _Well...her normal clothes were in the video so I shouldn't be surprised..._ "I get him this year! You had him last year and he needs to spend equal time with each of us!" she exclaims while trying to pull me by the arms away from Callie. I grimace as Callie keeps my head and neck held with ever increasing strength. "Scurry, stop! Callie's not letting go!" I gasp in desperation loudly enough for her to know I'm serious, exhaling deeply as they both let go and my body is allowed to flop onto the couch. I cough slightly as I inhale, gulping down the air before addressing their claims. "And if we're talking about fair, Flurry is the one who gets the time."

Both Scurry and Callie immediately turn towards Flurry who's sitting on the couch across from us and I can see from both their changes in posture that they're upset, Flurry raising her hands in surrender when she notices their ire. "I don't have anything to do with this and I suggest you pick someone else, Kosh," she says slowly and cautiously, her growing smile the opposite of her words. She gives me a subtle signal with one of her hair tentacles and I respond by springing from the couch and leaping backwards towards her. Black hair tentacles seize me out of the air and wrap around my body, pulling me swiftly into Flurry's lap as a wide grin crosses my face. She wraps her hair tentacles further around me in her usual defensive manner as Scurry and Callie pout at us.

"Oh, fine! She can have you for this event but we still need to practice! Now get on your feet!" Scurry shouts at me while moving into position in front of the TV, my head leaning upwards to try and look at Flurry but not having the right angle to do so. "I better not upset her further..." I say idly but Flurry tightens her hair tentacles instead, a sigh escaping me as I'm forced to use my own hair tentacles to force her off me. There's slight resistance from Flurry as she exerts her own hair strength but I'm able to power through it, pulling myself out of embrace to her sigh of disappointment. Before I move into position with Scurry, there's a brief exchange of my hair tentacles touching Flurry's in a comforting gesture that she taught me to do. _I have to show that I care. I can't just say it with octarians._ Her hair tentacles gently tug me back towards her but I don't allow it, slowly pulling my hair tentacles away from hers and taking position next to Scurry.

I quickly close my eyes and allow my body to shift into the one necessary for the song, cyan hair tentacles sprouting from my head and cyan eyes panning to stare at Scurry. "No matter how many times you do that, I still don't like it..." Scurry states with a grimace before turning back forward to shake her arms and legs to loosen them. "I don't either..." I say grimly, stretching for a few seconds as well but stopping to look at my arms. My old self is the stranger now...or is it the original me...I don't know anymore... The hands of another break my fascination, holding the sides of my head and moving it gently to look at everyone else staring at me before Scurry's arms wrap around my neck from behind. "You make a grumpy face when you're upset. Does it upset you that much to shapeshift?"

"YES!" I exclaim too loudly, my mouth closing rapidly as the others look at me in confusion and surprise. "I didn't mean to shout but yes. Everyone else thinks it's fresh to look however I want whenever I want but I don't like it! Dros, back me up on this!" My hand's gesture towards Drosyn and Sheldon desperately, Drosyn giving me a knowing nod while stroking Sheldon's head with her left hand. "From experience, your largest growing fear for changing shape is that you don't know who you are anymore and that eventually, you'll forget the 'original' you. Is that correct?" she states calmly, my head nodding slightly in confirmation. She looks down at Sheldon as she continues, his closed eyes and gentle smile telling me he's falling asleep. "If you're really concerned about losing your original form, I suggest taking photos of the forms you want to remember."

"That sounds...clever but...a bit weird..." I say timidly while looking around to gauge the opinion of the others, finding a combination of shrugs and palm upward hands in response. _They look more confused than anything..._ "If you're that uncomfortable with this, why don't you just be who you want to be for the performance?" Scurry adds from behind me and I shiver slightly when I feel one of her hands go to the back of my shirt and rub my skin. My hair tentacles stop her before she can remove my shirt. "I hope you don't plan on doing this...on stage..." I whisper in frustration as she puts her other hand on my back. _She's been like this since that night; very open with her intentions._ "And what if I do?" she gloats while moving her hands across my back and my body reacts on its own, seizing her with my hair tentacles as I turn around to face her. Our eyes lock for an unknown amount of time as we stare each other down, hostility slowly giving way to hidden meaning as smiles creep onto our faces. I sigh as I turn my head to the left to address the others as Scurry latches onto me with arms and hair tentacles.

"Can you give us a few minutes? We'll be right back."

* * *

The door to our room finally opens after an hour of working out our issues and getting our minds honed onto the task at hand, Scurry's right arm thrown over my shoulders to keep herself upright as I stagger through the door frame. "We need...to not do that..." I whisper to her with an exhausted smile but her cheek nudges mine gently in response. "But it was really fun," she whispers back and I notice her feet miss a step as we head down the hallway and into the living room. The others are having a brief snack break and Flurry looks up from her meal to tell the others that we've returned. When she turns back to us, there's a wide smile on her face. "I hope you two have...worked out your issues," she comments, my face blushing at the knowing tone she uses. "Might I advise next time that you try to keep your voices down?" she adds while moving back to the living room couches, my head lowering in further embarrassment as the others share a laugh and do the same.

Hair tentacles embrace us from out of nowhere, causing my head to whip around to see Marina standing on my right offering us refreshments with a grin. "They told me something interesting while you were busy," she whispers in an almost predatory manner and leans in close to my ear to whisper further. "Something about repeat performances?" she whispers and I shiver slightly at her words. _Aw zapfish...more people to please..._ I give her a weak smile as I take the drinks and sushi from her with a nod of thanks. "Some other time...we need to focus on practice now," I whisper as I pass some of the refreshments to Scurry who playfully bites my hand with the sushi as her hands take the drink. Both Marina and I snap our heads to look at my hand in her mouth as I try to have her release it, a brief struggle of me tugging a few times until she smiles and opens her mouth. "She's much more cooperative when you show her affection," Marina adds in and my head turns slightly towards her at the sudden comment, a half-smile creeping onto my face. "Funny...that's what I was thinking-"

"Alright, enough playing around. We have a show to perform in eleven days and I'm not about to make a fool of myself in front of Inkopolis," Scurry interrupts as we both straighten ourselves and finish the snacks we have. I make a show of gently tossing my empty cup towards the sink, almost making it but missing with a groan of frustration as Scurry snorts in amusement. "You can throw a Splat Bomb with extreme accuracy but you can't throw a cup into a sink?"

"Hey, I almost made it. There were more variables involved with that throw-" I try to explain before being tugged towards the front of the TV. Sheldon tosses headset mics towards Scurry who catches them with her right hand, putting one on herself while offering me the other one. I put the other mic on as she rotates me towards the group, both of us now in position. "Ready?" she asks me as I see Sheldon start to press buttons on his phone. "Ready," I respond and Sheldon takes my response as his cue to start the song.

 _Here goes nothing..._

* * *

The song comes at us viciously like the video, made more difficult since we're performing it ourselves instead of watching it. Midway through the first attempt, however, we have to call a halt to the music because both of us are missing the timing. "I thought you had a good memory. How are you messing this up?" Scurry asks me from my right as we take a few minutes to rest, my face grimacing at the hostility in her tone. "I just learned of this song a few days ago. It's harder to remember something I've never done and only saw once," I reply in as gentle a tone as I can but Scurry moves to take a seat on the couch and gestures rapidly with her hand for me to do the same. "We need to watch the song and analyze it before we try again. We both need a refresher," she comments and a grin creeps onto her face as I sit down next to her with an exhausted sigh. "Wait...you're good at things you've done before...so you were-"

"Yes. Before I ever performed on stage, I used to practice the dances of the Squid Sisters in private...all of them..." I say with decreasing confidence and growing embarrassment, Scurry immediately laughing at the statement. "So _that's_ what you were doing on the weekends! And what did you call it!? Extra ink range training!? Ha! I would've never guessed!" Despite my embarrassment, a grin arrives on my face as I nod. "How do you think I could tolerate so much exercise? I had to enjoy myself somehow."

"So you _were_ lying! You _could_ dance but you led all of us to believe you couldn't!" she retorts but I shake my head no while maintaining my grin. "That hasn't changed and wasn't the case before. I repeated the same dances for over two years...you get good at them with that much practice..." _I can't let this conversation lead to its endpoint...I have to derail it._ I look at Scurry and grin while pointing back at the TV screen with my right hand. "We're distracting ourselves. Let's pay attention now," I say gently and look past Scurry to see Sheldon patiently waiting for us to stop our conversation. My head gives him a nod to start the song and although Scurry obeys what I asked, I can see from her body language and her forced smile that she's derailing the conversation with me.

 _"I lost Glag on the field of duty and you abandoned me too-"_

I feel my hand squeezed slightly and return the gesture as I throw another hostile thought out before it can form, not remembering when Scurry put her right hand in mine but knowing that she's trying to bring me back to the now. _Part of me still resents her...and I hate myself for feeling that..._ Instead of letting the dark mood float away, I use it instead and focus on the screen. I find myself watching our copies intently as they perform, singing a song together that neither of us knew and overcoming our own failings to embrace at the end. The growing dark mood evaporates like it never happened, my mind clearing as I watch our copies perform. _The past can't be rewritten...but the future can still be._ "Should I run it again?" Sheldon asks us and I look at Scurry, seeing her with a similar expression of serenity on her face. I tilt my head slightly to the left with a smile that she returns as we both move to stand, swiftly crossing the room to get into position.

"Yeah, let's run it again whenever you're ready."

* * *

Hearty applause greets us as Scurry and I embrace in the last segment of the song, holding it for a few seconds before releasing each other and turning back towards the others to bow. Callie is quick to interrupt us by pulling me from my bow by the right arm towards a curtained off part of the room, nearly me pulling me into a fall with her enthusiasm. "Alright, you guys have had enough practice! Time for our part!" she blurts and I notice that she's already in her Squid Sisters outfit. My body tenses when I see a similar outfit draped over the curtain bar. "Wait, I'm not wearing that again, am-" I try to say but she cuts me off with a giggle and another pull of my arm. "Yes, you are! You wore it before so wear it again!" she exclaims and I jump slightly when she starts pulling down my shorts. "Hold on! I can undress on my own!" I say in protest but groan in frustration a moment later when I realize who I'm saying this to.

I focus on the task at hand, removing the clothes on my upper half as Callie handles the lower while lifting each foot for Callie to pull off my shoes. I reach up and pull the stage outfit off the curtain bar with a grimace. "I still prefer the kimono," I state as I hand the outfit to Callie who starts to put the one piece outfit on my legs, pulling the inner suit upwards until I can slip into the rest. "And as much as I'd like you being in a kimono mini again, this is more appropriate," she replies professionally, pulling up the zipper on the back of the inner suit as I lift each leg to accommodate the overdress. I become very aware of how form fitting the outfit is when I feel Callie's hands smoothing out creases and folds along my body, the clothing thin enough for me to feel where she's moving her hands. _I don't miss feeling this exposed..._ I quickly let my hair tentacles fold into a compact shape, clipping them with the lingcod hairpiece on the left side to accompany Callie's hairpiece.

She moves back to look at me with a pondering face, a hand on her chin as she tilts her head to the right in an analysis. "Blue and pink are clashing colours. I'm not sure-" she starts to say but I quickly close my eyes, focusing on changing my hair tentacle and eye colour to match the outfit. Callie is giving me instructions on the colour changes as I concentrate. "Too bright...a little too dark...there! That's the one."

When I open my eyes, they share the same amber eye colour and design as Callie's and she gives me a happy grin as she claps mildly. "Perfect! Let's go put on a show!" she exclaims as she turns away but before she can move, I move my arms and hair tentacles around her in a gentle embrace. I can't help but notice her body stiffen when I speak. "Callie...I'm aware that things are changing again...and I just want you to know that-"

"Not right now," she says dismissively with a more hostility than normal as she tries to pull out of the embrace. Despite her protests and her strength, I hold onto her as I continue. "I love you..." I whisper to her, her protests stopping as I hear her start to sob and feel the distinct sting of her tears on my arms. "Why'd you have to go and say it!? Now I'm all sad before our practice! I told you not to!" she exclaims, my hair tentacles and arms turning her around as tears start to roll down her face. She returns the embrace immediately and I stop myself from gasping at the sudden pressure on my chest from her arms. "Why have you never said it before!? Why say it now!? You've said it to everyone but me!" she shouts at me between sobs, the pressure on my chest increasing slightly as I reply in a whisper while rubbing her hair tentacles. "I'm an idiot that thinks I know what to do...I guess at what I think is right instead of asking others what's right...I'm sorry, Callie..."

My own tears start to roll down my face as the hurt reaches me but I quickly wipe them away with my free hand with an angry exhale. I laugh bitterly and stare ahead as I keep brushing Callie's hair tentacles. "When did I become so foolish, Callie? Was I just ignoring what was wrong all this time?" A hand hits my chest angrily a few times in response, bringing my view back down to Callie who's crying more. "Stop it! It isn't just you! Stop blaming yourself! I'm just as much at fault!"

From her tone, it starts to occur to me that she isn't just directing this at me but before I can ask, the epiphany hits me and I find myself numb from it. As a reaction to my thoughts, I hold her tighter as she starts to sob further but her voice whispers sadly as she tightens her grip again. "You...you sound just like him...like it's all your fault...it was never just your fault...please don't leave us..." _I'm making your mistakes, Cap'n...thinking that I have to solve everything myself...it's not just me in this world..._

Despite the inappropriateness of the gesture, I find myself laughing slightly and Callie pulls back from me in a rage. "What?! What's so funny?!" she yells at me with growing fury and it takes me a while to stop laughing. My voice is sombre and my expression calm as I respond. "It's just...this happened a year ago and that time, Scurry told me to just be myself...but being myself was being just like the Cap'n, walking into the same pitfalls."

Callie's ire cools rapidly as I start to wipe her tears away, ink burning my skin as I try to smile. "Promise you'll help me change so that I won't make you cry again?" I say with growing sadness, the sadness boiling over as tears fall down my face. Callie embraces me sadly and starts crying again, my arms and hair tentacles responding in kind.

 _I can't fix what happened...I can fix the future...but the pain remains..._


	45. Perseverance

**Chapter X: Perseverance**

* * *

Marie joins in our embrace, her face just as sad as ours. "It's OK, Callie...he isn't going anywhere...it'll be okay..." she says in a soothing tone while rubbing our backs with her hands. "We can continue our practice later if-"

"NO!" Callie shouts immediately, the increasing pressure on my torso causing me to gasp as our heads turn to look at Marie. "I'm...I can do this!...and...if Kosh can go through this and keep functioning, so can I!" she exclaims to Marie, the pressure slowly easing on my torso as I grunt in discomfort. _There's plenty wrong with that logic but I won't correct her..._ Marie leans in close to my right ear to whisper to me while gesturing at my hair tentacles. "You changed color and form again...try to keep it together." She smiles to me as she moves two of my hair tentacles off of her back, my mind finally noticing that I have a full set of eight again instead of two. "Oops...I can change back in a-"

"Just leave it, Kosh. When you're upset, you change back to what you're comfortable with; A set of eight hair tentacles, purple ink color, and average height," she states while gesturing with her right hand at my changes. "The last thing we need is an incident on stage where you lose focus and shape shift mid-song." I grunt in annoyance at her lecturing and she responds angrily by pinching and pulling my cheek with her right hand, my grunt of annoyance becoming pained swiftly. "Pay attention when I'm telling you something, Kosh," she states in a stern tone that offered no argument, Callie giggling to herself from my right. "You didn't learn from last time did you?" Callie gloats to me, my face trying to smile in response but only soliciting further pulls from Marie. "OK, I get i- AH!"

"You get what, Kosh?" Marie persists while not releasing my cheek, the slight growl in her voice demonstrating her growing ire. "I'll show more gratitude for your advice- OW!" I say before she pulls my cheek again, another longer cry of pain coming from me as she pulls hard enough to move my head. "And!?" she adds in angrily, easing the pull on my cheek enough to allow me to respond but not letting go. "OK! I won't show any form of ingratitude when you're advising me! Ow, that hurts!" I exclaim, her fingers releasing my cheek as soon as I finish speaking and one of my hair tentacles moving up to rub the sore spot on my face. Marie's expression changes from angry to serene in a heartbeat, a gentle smile now on her face as she says, "I don't enjoy punishing you but sometimes, you're just so hardheaded. I hope you understand." Callie shuffles slightly in my embrace and I can tell from Marie's censure and her sidelong glances that it isn't just directed at me. "Now quit having a private moment. Other's want to practice sometime today," she states while patting both of us on the back and moving towards the others to tell them that we're okay and that the situation is under control.

I turn my head back to Callie to find her grinning. "So...purple's your favorite color now?" Callie gloats, one of my hair tentacles moving to my face in embarrassment as I close my eyes and change my ink color back to pink. "I...guess? I didn't know that's what I do when I'm upset. Your guess is as good as mine," I say timidly, opening my eyes and raising a hair tentacle to Callie to try and match the color. _The color is off._ Without thinking about it, the color of the hair tentacle alters to the correct one and I chuckle slightly at the ease of the task when my eyes are open. Callie's grin widens when she sees what I'm doing. "Didn't I tell you once that-"

"-it would be easier to change colors if my eyes are open..." I finish lowly, my embarrassment growing at how foolish I feel now as my arms and hair tentacles finally let go of Callie. Her limbs stay attached to me and a sigh escapes me at her antics. "Callie?" I ask her while trying to make her let go with my arms and hair tentacles, only succeeding in making her tighten her embrace. "We can't perform like this, Callie..."

"I'm aware of that," she quickly responds, her wide grin remaining on her face as her hair tentacles start to move behind my neck. Knowing that time is of the essence and that Marie's anger might resurface if we keep stalling, I decide to speed things along and kiss her immediately. There's a brief moment of surprise from her as our lips meet, her body tensing slightly before she embraces the moment. I make sure to time myself but the amount of affection Callie shows me tempts me to ignore the timer and I have to use my hair tentacles to detach her from my face. "Callie, that's enough. We need to practice the song now-"

"Lets!" she exclaims with a grin as she pulls my left arm after her, the sudden yank causing me to stumble before I can keep up. My free hand makes sure the snatch the headset mics from the curtain bar as we pass and put one on Callie's head before putting one on mine. A quick glance around the room paints a clear enough picture for both of us to understand, a mix of amusement and annoyance on every face we see. _Everyone's getting irritated. We'd better not stall any further._ I have enough time to stumble into position in front of the TV as I glance at Callie who releases my arm and nods to Sheldon with a wide grin. Bomb Rush Blush starts tuning up after their exchange and I immediately turn my head back forward, having no time to mentally prepare as I start to dance in an energetic fashion. The lights dim as well to form pink bubble patterns that move around us as we dance.

Then the singing begins with our lyrics going back and forth between the pauses, Callie starting with the first section and me singing the next. Even through the dimmed lights and the pink bubble patterns, I can see the growing amusement in the audience as they watch me perform another song that made me look far more feminine than I'd like. _Why does Inkopolis enjoy my humiliation?_

I make sure not to let my thoughts translate to my face, keeping a bright smile on as we sing and dance for about five minutes. For the second repetition, Callie and I swap sequences of lyrics with me singing first and her following behind, the last set us singing together. The song ends with us putting a hand on our right hips and making a fist in the air with the left, the sincere applause short lived as I see Marina and Pearl spring from their seats and move towards me. Pearl seizes my right arm and pulls me back towards the curtained area while Marina follows closely behind. "We gotta hurry, Kosh! Vitamin Ink and Splat Jam have matches in a half hour and we have to announce for them! We already used too much of their time!" Pearl exclaims, my body jolting slightly as Marina starts to unzip my outer dress before we get behind the curtains. I can hear her smile as she responds to my jolt. "Oh, relax...I bet everyone in this room has already seen you without clothing-"

"Some haven't," I quickly interject with an embarrassed smile while unzipping my inner suit, my arms pulling inwards to allow both costume pieces to fall to my ankles. Pearl starts to lift each of my legs to get my shoes and costume off as I continue the conversation. "Whinter and Clementine are always telling me not to corrupt the minds of our younger roommates...you aren't helping-"

"They're going to grow up eventually, Kosh. You squids can't keep treating them like kids," Marina retorts with amusement as I bring my arms in so she can slip a gray leather vest onto me, my arms finding the arms holes while my left hand quickly zips up the front. My face cringes as I try not to laugh at the irony of Marina's statement or at the size of the zipper now on my chest, Pearl quickly putting a pair of gray shorts and gray boots on my lower body with a little too much enthusiasm. "That's what I keep thinking but I've never been able to convince Clementine or Whinter of that. Maybe it's because they're the older ones or maybe they're just overprotective...I don't know…" I shrug to emphasize my point while Pearl giggles to herself and gives me a pat on the rear. "You look really good in leather! You need to wear this more often!"

"Not my style. I'll save it for special occasions," I reply, turning towards the hallway to see two squids approaching us; Drosyn now wearing white leather and Sheldon now wearing black leather. Judging from the hand covering his face and the blushing on his cheeks, Sheldon isn't quite ready to perform. "Just splat me...please…" he comments timidly as he gets closer, Drosyn laughing slightly as she pats him on the head with her right hand. "I think it looks good on you, dear," she says with a bright smile, Sheldon's embarrassment increasing as he adds his other hand to his face.

I move closer and crouch down to his height, moving the hands gently from his face with my own and watching him look at me with scared eyes. _That's stage fright alright...it's what my face looked like when I first started performing._ "Sheldon, no one's forcing you to perform with us. Drosyn doesn't have to either," I say in a gentle tone but from our mutual glance at each other, I can tell he knows the undertone of my statement and understands it. _We have a choice...but there are no choices. They'd never let us live anything down if we backed away._ As a gesture of comfort, I let go of one of his hands to rub his head. "You didn't think you'd live in a home full of performers and not end up one yourself, did you?"

"Hey...that's my line…" he retorts back with a nervous chuckle, my own chuckle just as nervous. The moment is broken a few seconds later by Pearl shouting at us. "C'mon! We gotta get this done so the others can leave!" she exclaims as Sheldon is pulled away by Drosyn and we fake a dramatic moment of me holding onto his left hand desperately with a shocked look on my face as if he's being taken away for good. He mirrors my shocked look but only for a moment as everyone turns towards the performance area and moves to their places. I reach behind me with both hands, one hand taking a headset mic that I place on my head and the other taking a pair of grey gloves that I quickly slip onto my hands. _Alright...Drosyn and Pearl on the left, Marina and Sheldon on the right and I got the centre..._

Marie is the one to initiate the song with a press of her squidphone as soon as we're in position, a vicious smile on her face as Acid Hues starts to wind up. We clap our hands in unison at the start of the song and dance to the music with energetic motions, the music blaring and the clapping in unison the only sounds until we reach the first lyrics. Since the song is originally just Off the Hook's performance, they start singing first as the rest of us twirl and gesture in time with our respective sides. Pearl's side is energetic and involved hand gestures while Marina's side is graceful and involved body movement. _And I'm in the centre, having to mix both styles together somehow...and the strobe light isn't helping my focus...but I guess it's fresh..._

The performance becomes harder when Pearl's side has it's solo singing sections, the blinking lights stopping so spotlights shine on us as I break into a solo dance bit each time it occurs. I sigh inwardly in relief that Whinter and I had spent time practising our dancing since last years opening ceremony, each move coming naturally to me as I perform the tricks we'd learned together. _Top rock, down rock, handstand freeze, power move upright-_ With three repetitions to the song, I have to perform the solo dance for about a minute and a half out of a five-minute performance while keeping in time with the clapping and dancing as soon as the solo dance ends. Sheldon and Drosyn weren't spared any difficulty either, having to dance along with their respective sides and sing for the second and last sets. _Sheldon and Drosyn have amazing singing voices! I'm surprised they haven't already performed before I did!_

It's a relief that I'm not singing for this performance because the five minutes of nonstop movement and acrobatics starts to take its toll. A light sweat starts to coat my skin and my breath is coming in rougher than normal when we clap in unison for the final time, making the Off the Hook signature ending pose and holding it as the others applause to our performance. "I think we did good," I say idly, dropping the pose and breathing a few times while letting my head lean back and my shoulders sag. I don't have much time to rest as I feel hands start to pull my arms back towards the curtained area to change into the last outfit, my feet staggering slightly at the sudden movement. "I hope the last performance is less taxing...cause that one was fun and all but was a _lot_ of dancing," I say to Callie and Marie who giggle to themselves as they remove my outfit, their own kimonos already on for the last performance as they unzip my vest and shorts.

My vest, shorts, and boots barely come off before Marie throws my kimono over my head, my vision temporarily blocked as I try to find the neck hole. "I think you did well. All that time you spent with Whinter practising those moves paid off after all," Marie states before adjusting the kimono so that my head can slide through the neck hole. I blush slightly when Marie gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek as I close the kimono and tie the sash, Callie giggling to herself when she sees my head lower slightly. "Aw, your reactions are so cute! Even after all the time we've spent together, you still get embarrassed by something so simple!" she exclaims as she slips sandals onto my feet and springs up with a bright smile, hugging me with crushing force. "I can't...help it...ack! Easy, Callie!" I gasp as she continues to squeeze but she lets go suddenly to look at me with a widening grin.

I hear a familiar squeal of excitement from the hallway, turning my head that way with a smile to see Logan and Tanrine in kimonos approaching us. Logan adjusts his hat downwards in embarrassment from Tanrine's excitement, the hat he's wearing and kimono displaying precise diamond patterns. Tanrine is in contrast to him with a kimono patterned in vivid waves of orange with her hair tentacles just as wild and energetic. "I can't believe you squids are gonna let us be part of the ceremony! You're the best roommates a squid can ask for!"

"Tanrine...you're getting over excited again…" Logan idly whispers to her but gasps suddenly when she gives him a surprise hug, her hair tentacles almost flying behind her as she moves. "Aw, is someone embarrassed about being on stage!? It'll be awesome, trust me!" she exclaims, my smile deepening when I see her do a face rub to Logan that reminded me of Callie. _We're such a bad influence on them...forgive us, Clem and Whinter..._ "We need to get started. Time's running out for you squids and you have matches on the turf," I find myself saying, all eyes locking on me as if I spoke out of turn but soon changing to enthusiastic nods and smiles.

We don't say much else as we move out of the curtained area to take our positions in front of the TV for the last time, Logan and Tanrine on my right and Callie and Marie on my left. _Orange, blue, purple, green, pink...what an odd splash of colours._ Further thoughts halt when Sheldon presses the button on his squidphone and our final song, Fresh Start, begins to play. We begin by mirroring our movements and singing in unison at the beginning, sweeping our arms gently towards the audience as the lighting changes to five spotlights of white that shine on each of us.

Whenever Callie and Marie sang in unison, the rest of us would join the lyrics and when the song accelerated in pace, the spotlights strobe different colours to match the beat and emphasize the intensity. I have enough extra attention span to judge Tanrine and Logan's singing, Tanrine's voice enthusiastic and loud while Logan's voice is low and calm. What I couldn't judge is their dancing since I didn't have time to look at them and perform at the same time.

The strangest part of the performance is after the minute and a half mark where there's a thirty second section of music with dancing but no lyrics. I couldn't use my new dance moves here since it didn't fit to theme but I knew enough about dancing in a kimono to manage a sombre performance of sweeping arms and gentle movements, the pace slowly picking up again as the section ends. _Wait a second...if this really_ is _my kimono...doesn't that mean-_

Around the last section of the song, I gently slide my hands along my sides to the lower section of my kimono, laughing inwardly when I find the pull off sections. Moving my hands lower and tugging, the bottom section detaches and I use a foot to slide the piece behind me as soon as it drops. I hear the same being repeated around me and smile as I break into a more energetic dance for the last bit, losing myself to the rhythm with spins and rapid hand movements for a short time until the song winds down, my movements becoming slow and graceful as Marie finishes the song with her final note.

Enthusiastic applause greets us as we join hands and do a performers bow but it doesn't last long because the two teams we were holding up start to move towards their rooms to gather their gear and prepare. I release my hands as they leave but my right hand is seized again in a handshake, my head sweeping right to see Logan looking at me with joy. "Thanks for letting us be a part of this...I know I don't say a lot but...thanks…" he says lowly and timidly, my face smiling as we release our handshake but I move forward to pick him up. There's surprise written on his face as I pick him up off the ground and bring him into a hug that he returns awkwardly. "I should also say thanks...for being my friend. I also don't say that often enough...so thank you…"

"Best friends forever!" I hear Tanrine shout as she jumps towards us from the right side and hangs off us both with her hug, nearly knocking me over and then nearly pulling me the other way with her extra weight. Callie doesn't help either when she jumps on my back with a giggle, my legs and arms straining to hold up the weight of three squids on my torso. My head turns to the right to see Marie standing next to me slowly lifting her left hand towards me with a wicked smile on her face. "No, Marie...please don't-" I start to say but it's already too late as she gives me a gentle push, my body now unbalanced as we fall to the left onto the floor with a thump. Tanrine doesn't land in the pile, quickly releasing her grip on us and using the momentum of the fall to launch herself forward into a front flip and twirl on her hands, flipping through the air to land back first on a couch nearby with a broad smile and an enthusiastic gesture.

Despite our disorientation, we have enough sense to look up and see her do so. "So...when are you gonna-" I find myself saying but stop myself with a cough, Logan looking down in embarrassment as he hears what I said. _Zapfish, I let that one slip...whoops..._ "Well...now that you're free...can we...I mean if you aren't busy…" Logan mutters with his head lowered, my brow raising in surprise at this sudden development. "Can we...talk for a moment...just us?" he finishes, my head turning to the right to try and find Marie. Our eyes lock and she gives me a nod that has too much knowing behind it along with a smile that hinted at her enjoying the mischief she caused. "Logan, what about Splat Jam? Don't they need you?" I ask him but hair tentacles tap the top of my head and I look around to find the source.

Flurry is crouching nearby in her fatigues and full gear, her hair receding to her back and waiting until I get a full view of her before smiling at me and tapping the patch of Splat Jam attached on her right shoulder with a hand. She doesn't stay there for long, rising to a stand and moving away to join the departing teams. The mood seems to change as we get up off the floor and I note the enthusiastic looks on Callie and Marie. Marie's next words make me question what I'm getting myself into.

"It's time we had a talk with Logan but we decided to bring you along, Kosh."


	46. Deadlock

**Chapter XI: Deadlock**

* * *

"I just don't know how to approach her...she's just so happy and energetic and...I'm the polar opposite," Logan states before taking a nervous sip of milk tea, his hands mildly shaking as he sets it back down on our table in front of him. _Why am I here again? I thought this talk was between Callie, Marie, and Logan. What's my part here?_ A hand is gently placed on my left shoulder and the fingers dig slightly into it, my facial expression changing from confused to neutral as my head snaps to the left to see Marie smiling at me. I turn back forwards as she lets go, her message clear enough for me to understand but subtle in its execution. _Pay attention...got it..._ "It's not always about first impressions, Logan! You need to go and ask her out!" Callie interjects, her speech impeded by the food in her mouth. My eyes roll at her insisting on talking with her mouth full, glancing slightly to my right to see that she again has spilt food debris from her mouth onto the table. Logan is quick to retort with his concerns. "But what if she says no? What if she just wants friendship and I make it awkward between us? Worse, what if I ask her and I ruin the friendship we have already? I just...dont want to ruin what we already have-"

"Let's take this from the top," I state with a neutral face, all eyes locking on me curiously since it's the first thing I've said since I got there. "How long have you two know each other? More than two years? Have you ever asked her for anything during all that time together?" I ask calmly and Logan shakes his head no, words failing him for a moment in the form of mumbling before he forms a coherent response. "I haven't really...she usually asks for things and I just... I go along with it..."

I laugh loudly after hearing this, unable to stop myself from being amused at the revelation. _It all comes full circle, doesn't it!_ Marie is pinching my left cheek before I register her moving, her fingers pulling hard on it to my visible pain. "OW! OK, yes! That was inappropriate but you gotta admit it was-AH!" I blurt as Marie starts to growl at me, giving me another vicious pull of my cheek to enhance my pain. "That's not appropriate, Kosh. He's asking us for help and it's not a laughing matter."

"OK, OK! I'll control myself now!" I blurt, Marie releasing my cheek as I rub the sore spot with my left hand. Logan is smiling across the table that I return in kind. _I forgot you're the lucky ones...well...except Whinter..._ "Is it too personal to ask what she asks for?" I say cautiously, my eyes darting to the left to see if Marie is going to attack me again but only seeing her looking at Logan. When I turn back, Logan's smile drops slightly as the conversation is resumed. "No, it's...I mean she...asks mostly for simple advice...outfit selection, weapon tuning...nothing crazy-"

"Nothing crazy!? Is she getting naked when she asks you for outfit advice!?" Callie interjects immediately, Marie shouting her name in amused protest to her bold question. Logan for his part is lowering his head again in embarrassment as he mutters a reply. "She...sometimes does...but only from the back...and always from a distance..." He quickly holds his hands up in surrender as he blurts more. "Be...because she asks for advice on underwear! And sometimes, she has a hard time hooking her bra! I'm not...what I mean to say is..."

"Logan, relax. Deep breaths," I state as I see him start to panic, watching him stop for a second to look at his hands. The shaking of his hands is obvious and concerning and I'm already out of my seat and moving it to his side of the table, planting myself next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. He doesn't look at me, transfixed with his shaking hands. "Something else is troubling you and I can guess that what you believe is it's you, not her, that's stalling this-"

"We've seen such terrible things...we've done such terrible things...and I think it's affecting me..." he whispers in a serious tone that's shocking in its sincerity, all humour and nonessential thoughts thrown out of my head in the face of this change. "I used to be like everyone else, ignorant of the world outside of Inkopolis...my biggest concerns were mastering an E-liter and winning the next turf war..." He's still looking at his hands shaking violently as he continues, his gaze becoming more fervent as he stares. "Then I woke up...to all the pain and all the spilt ink...all the splatting and the permanence...I did that to them..." He puts his hand's palm down on the table in front of him but they continue to shake against the wood. "I can barely hold an ink gun anymore with these...not without the shaking throwing off my aim...and I think Splat Jam already knows...I...I think I'm flawed now-"

"It's what makes us squids, Logan," I interject, shaking him lightly by the shoulder to try and comfort him. He doesn't even notice the movement, still transfixed with his hands that continue to shake. "We all have flaws because it comes with being part the O.L.S. We sacrifice so that other squids don't have to live this...but I can understand that it's a big shocker." With my other free hand, I place it on top of one of his hands and hold it there, relief slowly creeping into me as his hands stop shaking and he finally looks at me with teary eyes. "That's why we need each other...because none of us can handle this alone," I say gently but Logan's face cringes in sadness as his eyes close, tears now rolling down his face. My body responding by moving my arms around his neck in a desperate hug as he brings his hands to his face and sobs, blurting things between sobs that make the rest of us concerned with his mental state. "I can't even shoot straight anymore! I've been letting my team down! I've been letting _everyone_ down! What's gonna happen if we have another mission and I miss!? Who's gonna end up splatted because of me!?"

"You aren't alone in thinking this, Logan. We all think these thoughts when the ink starts flying off the turf," I state, tightening my embrace as he starts to lessen his sobs with sniffles and return his breathing to normal with gasps. "I think we all need to talk about this. None of us walks away from the battlefield unchanged and I think we're all getting mentally ill from bottling it up." _It's not common...some squids rarely encounter these problems in their day to day lives..._ My head turns to look at Marie who gives me a neutral expression, her movements very still as she watches us and I direct my next question at her. "Is that why we're having the others perform? To help alleviate some of this trauma?"

"I didn't want to put it like that but yes. I've noticed minor changes in personality among our friends and this current incident confirms that we need to speak to everyone about their grievances. We can't afford for anyone to lose their mind on our watch and besides," she states, smiling slightly despite the moment and leaning back in her chair. "What kind of housemates would we be if we don't help our friends when they need it?"

"Love conquers all, I say!" Callie exclaims from her spot next to Marie, drinking loudly from a lemon tea through a straw and causing my face to smile despite the confusing change in mood. I turn back to Logan who still has tears running down his face even though he stopped breaking down, one of my hands now wiping away his tears to the hiss of burning skin. "We're the first you've told about this, aren't we?" I ask idly, Logan nodding his head slowly with an exhale of exhaustion. "How can I even bring this up to Marian or Whinter or Vadelma or anyone? They saw the same things I did and they seem unchanged-"

"Because they aren't unchanged. That's the point of false fronts, Logan. They're probably hiding similar flaws for similar reasons," I retort, looking at Callie and Marie who give me simple nods. _No one takes a life or suffers a loss without feeling it...no one..._ With that thought in mind, I lower my voice as I whisper to Logan, "Now tell me...how has Tanrine changed?"

I wasn't expecting an answer but his answer is immediate and sad to hear, spoken in a hollow voice. "She clings to me at night and apologizes for a thing that she didn't do wrong in private...I think she's second-guessing herself more...at least, that's what I've seen..." he whispers, his head staying level but his face now sad again. "And I don't know how to help her...I don't know if I should help her-"

"That's nonsense!" Callie interjects loudly, her hands slamming on the table causing us all to jump and look at her in surprise. Her face is a snarl as she shouts at Logan. "There's _never_ a reason why you shouldn't try to help! You probably haven't even asked her what's wrong!" Marie is quick to shout at Callie in an attempt to make her stop but Callie doesn't stop, still snarling as she snarls more. "Just talk to her about it, Logan! If you keep trying to ignore the problem, it's only gonna get worse!"

"Callie! Enough! This isn't helping!" Marie shouts at her and they growl at each other for a second before Callie backs down with a frown that quickly becomes a neutral grimace. When she's sure Callie won't do any more outbursts, Marie turns back to us. "We're all concerned about each others health. That's why we're talking about it. Kosh was by far the worst to suffer from all this with his frequent flashbacks and nightmares but with our help, he's been able to recover." Her tone shifts to brook no argument as she adds in with her hands on the table, "This _is_ fixable and we _will_ fix it. You have my word on that but first, we need to identify the problem and find a solution to each problem." She looks at me in particular with a neutral expression, her next words coming out as a command.

"Ask Sheldon to use the practice range and help Logan with his aiming problem. That's an order."

* * *

Logan performs another perfect round of shots, his E-liter sprays impacting target after target in record time. I stand next to him looking over his shoulder and see no sort of describable shake or deviation as he pulls and releases the trigger. When the targets reset themselves, he lowers his E-liter and puts it at ease across his chest. "I think...I think I got it," he states as he gently lifts and lowers his weapon to test the weight. I don't respond, silently moving out into the practice range and standing in front of a target. "Now shoot," I command him to do, his face surprised and confused by my request. "Wait, what? You want me to-"

"I have my ink shield up and the spawn point network covers this practice range. I want you to shoot me until you splat me," I clarify, his face moving from surprised to horror at my words. "I can...I can't do that, Kosh...what if-"

"That isn't a request, Logan," I say while pulling a Splat Bomb off my belt, further horror written on his face as he sees my thumb hovering over the trigger. "I'm gonna count to five and if you don't splat me before then, I'm gonna throw this at you. Is that clear?" I say with a passive expression and a stern tone, his head shaking no rapidly as I start counting. "One," I say loudly, his weapon still at ease as I start to move into a throwing posture. I see his face growing in horror as he shouts at me, "Why are you doing this, Kosh!? This is crazy!"

"Two," I say loudly, already imagining the arc that the Splat Bomb needs to travel for it to hit. There's still plenty of reluctance in Logan since his weapon is still at ease and he desperately tries to reason with me. "Kosh, I'm not gonna splat you!"

"Three," I say loudly and flinch slightly when I see Logan raise his weapon to his eye to aim. His hands are shaking because the E-liter is shaking and his shouting sounds uncomfortable and scared. "Kosh! Don't make me do this!"

"Four," I say loudly, leaning my arm back slightly in preparation for the throw. Logan does release the trigger of his weapon but the shot goes wide and misses me completely. He shoots a second time but the second shot also goes wide. I hear him growling in frustration as he misses. "Five," I say finally, pressing the button on the Splat Bomb and hearing it click as it becomes active. Time slows down as my arm surges forward in a right-handed toss and I can already see that at this range, he'd have enough time to dodge. The bomb leaves my hand and starts its arc towards him and for a moment, I feel regret for making him go through this. _But I have to do it...he needs to make sure he can splat a living target._

Another shot flies out, missing me again by a long shot and I grimace at making no progress with him until I see the Splat Bomb detonate mid-air and the ink payload splat all over the ground. _That's an impressive display of marksmanship...but it's not what I asked..._ His breathing is quick from stress and with reluctance, I draw my Splattershot and sight it on Logan who looks down the barrel in horror and lowers his weapon in response. "That wasn't what I said, Logan, so let's make this harder. I'm gonna shoot my ink gun for each second I count and you know that I can aim a weapon. When I get to five, I'm not gonna stop spraying until you explode-"

"Kosh, what's wrong with you!? Aren't you supposed to be helping me aim!?" he shouts at me in outrage, his eyes wild with both fear and anger. I emphasize my point by squeezing the trigger of my weapon to plant a spray near his feet, his body jumping slightly and his weapon raising to sight in on me. "Now that I have your attention, let's begin," I shout at him, squeezing the trigger to plant a shot on his torso. His ink shield activates automatically to absorb the shot and Logan freezes for a second when the shot impacts it. "You're crazy! You...you really shot at me!"

"Two," I shout while squeezing the trigger again, this time aimed at his head. His shield once again absorbs the shot and this time he returns fire. The shot goes wide again as his shaking hands throw off his aim and there's desperation in his voice when he shouts at me. "Kosh, stop! We...we can't do this...I...I won't do this!"

"Three," I shout, squeezing the trigger again and popping his shield in a burst of ink discharge. "The next ones through the shield, Logan. You better stop me faster!" I snarl as he quickly aims a shot and releases his trigger, this shot aimed better than the last but only succeeding in scraping against my ink shield and causing minimal damage. I shake my head once with a neutral expression. "That's not good enough, Logan!" I shout at him as he lowers his weapon slightly. "I'm not trying to splat you!"

"But I _am_ trying to splat _you_! Four!" I shout, planting a shot on his shoulder. His hands drop his weapon as he clutches his shoulder from the pain but I don't move, still aiming my weapon at him. "Pick up your weapon, Logan unless you're comfortable with being splatted while unarmed!" I shout at him, Logan looking up at me with an angry grimace but freezing as he notices the barrel of my weapon still pointing at him. There's an angry snarl on my face as my finger starts to press the trigger. "I'll make sure to let everyone know that you aren't fit for combat anymore, Logan!" _I don't want to do this either but I need to do this-_

Something snaps within Logan because before I can pull the trigger, he seizes his weapon off the ground and uses the ink nearby to slide to the right as he pulls and releases the trigger. My ink shield shatters instantly and the moment stuns me for a brief moment. Before I can dodge out of the way or dive into the ink at my feet, a second shot inks my head off and I explode in a shower of blue ink. My spirit is ejected from my body and sucked into the spawn point nearby, a grimace on my face as I rise out of the ink and walk back into the practice range. Logan is on his knees nearby, his weapon still in hand and his breathing hard as I crouch down and try to pull the E-liter from him with my left hand. "Logan, it's over. Let go of the ink gun," I say gently but his gaze remains fixed on my puddle and his grip remains strong on his weapon.

It takes both hands to finally pull the ink gun out of his hands and his hands stay in position as if he's still holding it. Only after a few seconds does he look down to see the weapon missing and finally look up at me with a combination of horror and guilt. "I...I splatted you..." he says in a stammer, looking down at his hands out of habit and finding them steady. "Don't remind me..." I say jokingly as I move my right hand under his left arm and pull him to his feet with a bright smile. "Flurry told me a little while ago that most of my plans involve suicide and I don't need you joining that chorus. Have a little more faith in the spawn points," I say jokingly but I'm not sure he's paying attention because of his fixation with his hands. I snap my fingers in front of his face a few times, his head shaking slightly as he turns his gaze back to me. "You listening, Logan?"

"Yeah...yeah I was...it's just...look," he stammers, showing me his hands that are no longer shaking. "It's gone...I...it's always been there for so long when I hold my E-liter but now..." I offer him back his weapon which he takes with thanks, holding it and sighting down it with a grace and surety in his posture that was long missing from him. I chuckle to myself and pat him on the right shoulder a few times, his head turning towards me curiously. "You just needed someone to call you out on it. It happened to me a few years ago with the Kraken form but that's a story for another time." I put my arm over his shoulders and he nearly drops his ink gun from my familiarity, looking at me in growing confusion as I give him a smile.

"Now...we need to fix your...other problem..."


	47. Double Trouble

**Chapter XII: Double Trouble**

* * *

"A double date with Kosh and the Squid Sisters!? This is the best day EVER!" Tanrine shouts a little too loudly, Logan's posture changing to alert as Tanrine unexpectedly snuggles against his right arm. Nearby squids are watching our progress and I can't help but grin in an attempt not to laugh at the cuteness of the situation. _I just called Marie to tell her I was gonna pay for their date when it happens! How did I get dragged into this!? And how did she convince Clementine to let Tanrine take the day off!? Clementine has **never** allowed that! _The slight, painful pressure on my left arm brings me back to the now, my face cringing as I shake my left arm. "Callie...too much affection..." I whisper with a groan, the pressure easing immediately but the soreness staying as Callie giggles to herself. "But it's just so cute! Our youngest roommates are growing up and experiencing their first date!"

"Callie, we're here so that if either of them has a mental breakdown, we're there to aid them. Try not to lose focus," Marie states from my right in a stern tone but when I glance over at her, it's hard to believe her reasoning given the smile she's wearing. "You sure it's not because this is _our_ first date as well?" I query with a smile of my own, her smile widening slightly giving me enough of an answer. I roll my eyes and sigh to myself more from my own ignorance than from the craziness of the situation. _Relationships have steps for a reason. Why did I think skipping some of the steps was a good idea?  
_

"Uh, squids? We're here..." Logan says loud enough for us to hear, both he and Tanrine looking at us expectantly as I shake my head and orient myself with where we are. My face cringes in growing amusement and a chuckle escapes me as I view the digital billboard over the place we're standing in front of, a singing inkling next to the establishment's name in a rainbow of colours. "Oh no...is this what I think it is?"

"The Happy Squid Karaoke Bar! This is gonna be FRESH!" Tanrine exclaims to us, dragging Logan through the open glass doors by his right arm as he misses a step from the sudden move. I breathe out through my nose and shake my head, glancing at Callie who still has a wide grin on her face. "Why do I let you squids talk me into these situations?" I say in mock annoyance, smiling as both Callie and Marie giggle at me and start guiding me inside slowly by the arms. "Like Marie said! We're here for those two, not ourselves!" Callie exclaims, her bright smile dazzling and confusing me for a second at its intensity. _I've never seen her this happy..._ A quick glance at Marie shows the same level of excitement, though better hidden and subtle in comparison but with the same eagerness in pulling my arm. _I've never seen either of them this happy..._ My mood darkens again at the thought but I don't let it show, chuckling again to myself at the ease of snuffing out the dark thoughts and reflecting on the cause.

 _I can't **always** know what to do and when to do it. That's why I need them...there's nothing wrong with that...  
_

* * *

It's a surprisingly open environment in the place, circular booths and a main bar stand the only furniture in a spacious and well-lit interior. Every squid who glanced at the door holds their gaze, some of them taking out squidphones swiftly to snap quick pictures or record and some looking shocked in recognizing that the Squid Sisters are visiting this place. Like a ripple, the ones who noticed us tell the ones near them and within a few minutes, the entire establishments knows we're here.

Logan and Tanrine are already at a booth near the middle, Tanrine waving at us energetically as if we couldn't see where they where. "She seems happy," I say idly as I let the mood take over and confidently take the arms of Callie and Marie so that we're walking together. Callie, flamboyant as ever, hums to herself as she rests her head on my left shoulder. "Have you ever known her not to be this energetic?" Marie adds in as we cross the room towards the booth, my face blushing when I catch the glimpses of squids staring and the amount of attention I'm getting. _I'm_ s _till not used to all this fame...no wonder I don't go out much..._ "Stage fright still, Kosh?" Marie whispers into my ear as we arrive at the booth, my head nodding lightly in agreement as we take our seats.

The closeness in the booth is shockingly intimate, Logan sharing my embarrassment with face blushing and partially hidden behind his lowered hat. Tanrine laughs when she notices and takes his hat off, Logan's head snapping up in surprise and turning towards her as she twirls it on her finger. "C'mon, Logan! There's no need to be shy! We're on a date, after all!" she exclaims while nudging up to his right shoulder and placing his hat on the table. I jump when Callie touches her face to mine unexpectedly, her giggle embarrassing me further. _Why is this such a big deal for me? I've had worse situations then this..._ "Kinda reminds you of you, doesn't he? No experience with female squids, embarrassed by the attention, and trying to play cool but just acting cute instead?"

"Yeah, too much so..." I say idly, nudging her face with mine to try and make her stop but giving up with a frustrated growl when she doesn't. "We should order now," Marie interjects as she points at the screen on the table, tapping the display to make it come alive. I smile to myself as I use my right hand to rotate the menu on the screen towards Logan and Tanrine who look up at me, Logan with confusion and Tanrine with further excitement. "It's your day today so pick whatever you want. I did say I'd pay for this, right?" I say as calmly as possible while trying to ignore Callie and Marie rubbing up against me.

Logan doesn't answer and instead looks at Tanrine who's already tapping on the display rapidly with her fingers. Seconds is all it takes before she tells us excitedly that she's done and insists that Logan order next, his eyes wandering over the selection of food and drink curiously. "What's the Fish Bomb?" he asks Tanrine while pointing at the picture of a multi-tiered plate of sushi. Her smile widens enough to show her teeth and I'm surprised at the lack of braces. _Wow, they really have grown haven't they._ "It's every type of sushi in the bar placed in a single mound! Though I don't know if you'd want that...it's a lot of food..." she responds, trailing off slightly even as Logan starts tapping the screen.

"I'll share it with you guys. It's fine," he states as he finishes his ordering and rotates the menu back towards us. Before I can start ordering myself, Callie rubs her face against mine again. "Someone did something to someone and now that someone is like them," Callie says aloud to no one in particular but judging from the faces I see when I glance around the booth, everyone else seems to understand what she said. "How do you deal with this, Kosh? All the attention and the fame and...just not being normal?" Logan interrupts from across the table, Tanrine's smile dropping for a second as she ponders the question and looks at me in expectation. Even Callie and Marie lean forward to look at me with expectant faces, a hum of displeasure my immediate response. "I really don't like being put on the spot like this but...since you asked..." I start to say but am interrupted when a very nervous looking server shows up with tea, all of our heads turning towards her and making her freeze on the spot in nervousness. "Are you...are you really the Squid Sisters?" she stutters as she places the tea set she's holding down on the table and starts serving the tea, Callie and Marie exchanging smiling glances before they both turn back to answer the question. "Yes but we're just Callie and Marie today. Right, Callie?"

"And this is our first date! I'm so excited!" Callie blurts while rubbing her body and face against mine again, my right hand going to my face in embarrassment. The server almost spills the tea from Callie's outburst and looks at me with something akin to shock. "Then...aren't you the Lone Inkling?" she says to me in growing apprehension, my face cringing into a smile behind my hand as I try not to laugh. I make sure to remove my hand and turn to her before answering. "Well, not anymore as you can see. I'm just Kosh today," I answer smoothly, placing an arm over Marie's shoulders and putting a hand on Callie's head to rub her hair tentacles, both responding by pressing themselves further against me. I look back at Logan and Tanrine who are watching my theatrics with expressions of wonder. "And to answer _your_ question, I don't deal with any of this. I just go with wherever the mood takes me and do whatever needs to happen. I'll let the others do the thinking," I state to the giggling of Callie and Marie but my face moves to annoyance for a moment when a thought occurs to me. "I didn't mean that the way your thinking..."

"And what were we thinking?" Callie insists with growing amusement, my hand leaving Marie's shoulders to cover my face again in embarrassment again. "So what happens now? Food's gonna be a while," I say while quickly calming myself and removing my hand again, trying to derail the current line of thought to Callie's groan of disappointment. Marie goes along with it, taking some of the teacups and thanking our nervous server as Logan tries to respond to my statement. Tanrine gets there first.

"We perform some karaoke, of course!"

* * *

Two headset mics and a basic sound system are all the bar has for their setup, my face grimacing as I pick up one of the headset mics. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this, Kosh," Logan whispers from my left as he grabs the other headset and puts it on, a chuckle escaping me at the irony. "Oh, please. I should be the one apologizing for giving Tanrine free reign to do what she wants. _I'm_ sorry that _you_ got dragged into this," I whisper back, a chuckle issuing from Logan as we both turn around and face the audience. All eyes in the entire establishment are locked on us as I hear Logan swallow in nervousness, my hand already pulling out my squidphone from my right pocket to select a song. My own nervousness slowly increases as I keep glancing back up at the crowd every so often. _I'm accustomed to being on a raised stage, not right among the audience. This is scary._ "So...what do you squids want us to sing?" I ask the audience through my mic with as much confidence as I can manage, several song selections shouted back at us that are ultimately overwritten when Marie raises her own squidphone and presses the screen with a wicked smile. Maritime Memory starts to spin up and I smile to myself while leaning my head towards Logan. "Follow my lead and just go with the flow..." I whisper to him, my eyes catching him nod as I get back into position and prepare for the lyrics.

There isn't a light show to distract us when I start singing the lyrics of Marie, Logan quickly catching on and taking the lyrics of Callie. The audience hushes as the performance begins and becomes the only noise it the room, my eyes catching some squids from outside hearing the performance and stopping to watch from the street. I try to keep the dancing simple with gentle motions of the arms and slow sweeps of the legs but every time I sneak a glance at Logan, I find my caution unfounded. _He's performing the moves without breaking a sweat while singing the lyrics with a professional grace...did our one practice do this?_

The audience starts to clap with the rhythm suddenly, starting with Callie and Marie but easily expanding to the other patrons watching us until even those squids outside are clapping along. Feeling a bit snarky and showing my sharpened teeth, I decide to up the dance pace to see how good Logan can dance, my movements increasing in speed slightly as I add a few of my new moves into the mix. What starts as a sombre display evolves into a competition as I find Logan rising to my challenge and keeping pace without overextending himself. _Almost two years of knowing each other and I know so little about him..._

Despite the growing competition, the song ends quickly and we end on a peaceful note by turning to each other and touching my left hand to his right, holding the posture with expressions of wonder until the song ends. The clapping rhythm becomes enthusiastic applause as the audience cheers and even whistles at our performance and I give Logan a slight nod. "OK...when and how did you learn how to do that?" I ask, stopping myself when the headset mic projects my voice to the entire room. Both of us smile and quickly turn off the mics, taking them off to put them back on top of the sound system and quickly moving back to our seats to find a table now full of food and drink.

"Aw zapfish..." I whisper to myself when I notice who else is at the table, Scurry and team Splat Jam staring at us with a mix of outrage and frustration. _I didn't even see them enter...I was caught up in the moment..._ "So you thought you could have a good time without us, Logan!? You're supposed to be recovering from your hand problem!" Marian shouts, an exhale of frustration exiting my nose as I shake my head and Logan shuffling uncomfortably next to me. _Alright, who talked? There's no way they knew we were here._

The others don't share her ire, their attention firmly focused on ordering from the menu and taking what drink and food are already present. "Marian, it's impolite to shout at a teammate," Vadelma corrects her in her usual elegant manner while ordering something from the menu with tapping fingers, Marian rounding on her with an angry expression before remembering who she's talking to and moving to an annoyed frown. "It's not even that he's out having a good time! It's that he's skipping turf wars to do so! I expect this type of behaviour from Kosh but not from you!" she shouts, turning and pointing at Logan who lowers his face slightly.

"Okay, I did agree to pay for this and called Marie to inform her of the plan so it's not his fault-" I try to explain but Marian cuts me off with an angry snarl as she rounds on me with her ire. "Of course it isn't his fault! It's you being a bad influence on everyone else and enticing them to make bad decisions!" she shouts at me, my head lowering dramatically in mock remorse. When I raise my head again with a smile, the glances I'm getting from the others don't confirm her claim and some of them have grins as if they're enjoying the exchange. "So what do I have to do this time to get out of this situation?" I ask the group, my smile dropping when Callie immediately answers the question before the sentence finishes. "Do another song! A solo performance to make up for your mistake!"

General assent passes around the table in the form of nods of agreement, even Marian and Marie joining in with wicked smiles. I frown slightly when the patrons around us start saying then shouting the same thing, listening in to our conversation and contributing. "Can I at least get something to eat first, please?" I ask and am not surprised to see Scurry offering me tea and sushi from the end of the booth but before I take any of the food, I back up slightly and gesture with my hands for Logan to take his seat. My frown quickly turns back into a smile as I watch him sit down next to Tanrine who starts hugging him with abandon to his growing embarrassment.

"I take it the other's are coming as well?" I ask as I turn back to Scurry whose widening grin tells me everything I need to know. "Well you _did_ ask that one time 'why not invite everyone else' so I took your advice and invited everyone else...with Marie's approval, of course," she gloats at me, my gaze now turning on Marie who smiles back at me and briefly shows me a text conversation she has on her phone. I don't get to fully read it because I instead down the sushi and tea I was given in preparation. _I expect that from Callie but not Marie...I guess I'll have to watch out for that now-_

I sense the movement before I see it, bracing myself as I turn quickly back to Scurry who leaps out of her seat and latches onto me with her arms and hair tentacles. I can't ask her what's going on because she begins to smother me with a kiss, my face showing surprise as I look at the others in confusion. There's a mix of annoyance and amusement from the group and that's enough reason for me to pull away from Scurry's affection with a gasp. "Scurry...every squid is watching us-"

"Like that's stopped me before..." she whispers to me before continuing the kissing, clearly enjoying herself from the amount of tongue she's using and from her limbs refusing to let go of me despite my efforts to move them. Knowing from experience that she won't let go through logic or force, I embrace the moment and return her affection as best I can. The eyes burning into me as I play Scurry's game are unsettling, the feelings of warmth from her not enough to blot out the scrutiny and the growing embarrassment. _I can handle doing this in front of my friends...but in front of the public-_

Blessedly, Scurry disengages from me with a wicked grin and stares at me with amusement. "Kosh, I didn't know you were _this_ deviant. To share an intimate moment in front of everyone-" she gloats before I bring my forehead gently to hers while closing my eyes and whimpering slightly, Scurry giggling and hugging me further as she gets my meaning. "Alright, I can see you're uncomfortable with this...this will be the only time, OK?"

My frowning facial expression doesn't last long, a growing smile rising to my face as I chuckle to myself. "And you say I can't trick you, huh?" I whisper arrogantly, Scurry laughing and releasing her grip on me while pushing me gently away. "Oh, so you _do_ know how to play the game. I guess I'll have to be on guard now too," she replies with her grin but I couldn't miss the hint of relief underneath the sarcasm as we turn away from each other and I start to move towards the sound system.

 _Just be you, Scurry...I don't need anything else..._


	48. Breakout

**Chapter XIII: Breakout**

* * *

I snatch the headset mic off the sound system with a grimace but get a pleasant surprise when another arm takes the other set to my left. My head turns to regard the arm curiously and my grimace turns into a smile when I recognize the green nails and dark skin. "Marina, I thought this was a solo punishment...you don't have to-" I try to say while turning towards her but one of her hair tentacle gently covers my mouth as she shushes me. "It's not much of a punishment if you're setting your own pace...so you'll be dancing at _my_ pace," she says in a low voice full of threat and promise, her grim smile that showed her sharp teeth comforting me and chilling me in equal measures. _Knowing her, she's gonna pick a fast song-_

The music starts without warning, Marina grinning savagely as she pulls me by the right arm and spins me as she crosses the room. The spin is so quick that I find myself dizzy and have to hold onto Marina's form arms to prevent myself from bumping into the furniture and the squids that blur past. Once we come to a stop, I recognize the music in the background as Muck Warfare and shake my head to orient myself as Marina starts to sing her lines. With a quick pull of my right arm, however, my orienting is disrupted when she spins me away from her, nearly pulling me off my feet from a sudden stop because her left hand is holding onto my right.

My head shakes again to orient myself and I catch Marina flourishing to the crowd by letting her hair tentacles down and extending her right hand to beckon to them. Her bright smile as she sings gives me something to focus on. _She looks like she's having fun...I guess I will too._ My hair tentacles and hands mimic her flourishing rapidly as I smoothly pick up Pearl's lines and allow myself to fall into the dance. It surprises me how easily I let go, the music and Marina becoming the only concerns at the front of my mind but as the song drags on and we continue to perform, my body starts to recognize the deliberate movements and the brisk pace. _Wait...I know these moves…_

I don't let the realization show on my face or my movements as we continue, the crowd cheering as they see us cut loose in public for the first time. _I_ _only practiced these moves a few times and it was just Whinter and I...or so I thought..._ The thought only last momentsbecauseMarina and I suddenly embrace and spin a few more times to the music as it ends. In a showy fashion, I dip her into my left arm and hold the pose as hair tentacles move to turn off my mic.

The crowd around us erupts into cheer and applause, the noise also carrying in from those squids outside who stopped in the doorway to watch. I look to my right curiously before returning my gaze to Marina who's glowing with excitement. "Was that supposed to be a punishment? I think I had too much fun for it to be punishment-"

Marina keeps smiling and moves a hair tentacle over my mouth again to halt me mid sentence. "I...still had my doubts but...I guess I can't out dance you..." she mumbles mostly to herself but I pull her upright and hug her with a crooked smile. "Never say never...you'll beat me eventually-"

She gently pushes my left cheek as I continue to smile but the moment doesn't last because a hand pulls the headset off my head. I tense slightly and look to my left to find Logan standing nearby and placing the headset on his head, his eyes and face giving me an intense stare. "Clear the space, will you Kosh? I have something of my own to give," he says with a confidence that's staggering in its suddenness. _I've never heard him to make demands like that..._

My feet leave the ground suddenly as something pushes behind my knees and I tense again as I'm picked up, my head already wheeling around to see Marina's smile replaced with a neutral expression as she carries me away. When she notices me staring, her face smiles again but only for a moment as she suddenly stops moving and returns to neutrality. My head follows her gaze to find Pearl smiling at us darkly from her seat at the edge of our booth and I feel a slight shiver when our eyes lock. _Uh oh...I think I just showed favouritism..._

To my surprise, she continues to smile as she makes room for Marina to sit and gestures for her to come over. "Sit down, you dummies. Give Logan room to work," she states playfully while patting the seat she vacated, my body tensing again as Marina starts moving to take her seat. She barely sits down before I find myself tossed through the air suddenly but I have enough sense to look down and aim my landing between Callie and Marie. The landing isn't soft and I grunt slightly from the impact before arms latch onto mine. I try to say something to them but Marie is already shushing me gently and putting a hand gently over my mouth. "Less talk, more watching," she commands as she moves her hand away and I stare at her for a few moments before nodding lightly and turning my attention back to Logan.

His new confidence is startling because it didn't look like Logan anymore, his hair tentacles now loose since he removed the braid that he wore under his hat. His brown eyes pan across the audience as they silently stare back and only after he's sure everyone is watching does he speak. "Hey everyone...you probably already know but I'm Logan Halloumi, sharpshooter of Team Splat Jam-"

He doesn't get to continue because the crowd gives him a brief cheer in acknowledgment, making him smile and blush at the attention. "Uh...thanks...so this is something I've been working on for some time and I think...now that my friends are here and the timing is right...I think it's time to show them what it is," he says before taking out his squidphone and browsing it quickly with his thumb. He already knew what he's looking for, efficiently finding the content and pressing play. I'm look around the table in confusion, not recognizing the song spooling up at all and see that everyone shares my confusion.

 _He's been working on his own material and_ _ **none**_ _of us knew? Impressive._

* * *

Every squid in the karaoke bar is silent as they give Logan their full attention, the only noise now the gentle piano music playing through the speakers. Logan is standing stock still, closing his eyes and listening for his cue to sing that arrives with a gentle flourish of keys. The voice that starts to sing is sombre but intense.

 _And I-know...for-sure...~  
That you-and-I are so-so different...~  
But even-with all of this difference...~  
Know-that-I'll be right there by your side...~_

The beat increase in pace as the gentle piano adds itself to the hard and fast blaring of guitar, bass, and drums. Logan's gentle expression of serenity becomes the grinning face of enthusiasm as he changes his mood to match the beat. I try not to look and act surprised but I can't help it.

 _Take-us-back to another tiime!~  
When-we were-strangers...night-and-day then!~  
I-never-knew what-life was liike!~  
With-a...bright smile and-a-sunny day!~_

 _But..that day and...that moment!~  
The-night of-my life got much briighter!~  
Cause...all-the-troubles meelt away!~  
And I-feel like-I can see the rising sun!~_

 _But-now-that-I-start to feel this waay!~  
I-know now-there's just one place left to goo!~_

Though his movements were slight before, Logan becomes more animated as the song progresses by moving his arms in gestures of beckoning towards the audience. He isn't focusing on anyone in particular but those around me already know who this is for.

 _I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
Cause-that's the-place I want to go!~  
I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
Cause-that's the-place I want to knoow!~_

 _And-even-if its-miiles away!~  
I'll be-there...right beside-you!~  
I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
And-I'll-al-ways be right there by your siide!~_

His singing stops as he performs two slow spins towards the centre of the room that he finishes with a rapid leap, spinning his body horizontally once in the air. When he lands back on his feat, his singing continues smoothly as the song changes in rhythm to something more pointed and conflicting.

 _But-know that-I'm scared of the liight!~  
And-that-I caan't approach-you!~  
And-know that-I'll be by your side!~  
Just-a...shadow-hidden from your view!~_

 _And...that day and...that moment!~  
The-night of-my life got more serious!~  
Cause...you-and-I...are night-and-day!~  
And-the-shadows can't surviive...in the liight!~_

I start to feel a bit uncomfortable from the lyrics and the mood becomes palpable at the table. _Is he...rejecting Tanrine? Logan, you idiot..._ The song slows down as he sings and reduces to just the piano playing a few somber notes. I feel anger creep in but Marie is quick to brush my face with her hand to get my attention. "Let him finish," she whispers into my ear but I can tell that she's just as angry by the clipped tone she's using. I almost disobey, wanting nothing more then to surge out of my seat and knock some sense into the squid standing in the center of the room but it's their date so I do as Marie instructs reluctantly. _Causing an incident in a populated area while on a double date with the Squid Sisters is a terrible idea-_

 _But-even if I feel this way...~  
Know that-I'll-be right-there by your side...~_

The words are sung sadly and when I look back at Logan, he's wearing a sad face full of regret. It takes me a little bit to recognize that I'd closed my eyes and I don't have enough time to process more because the song resumes it's slow pace.

 _I'm aiming for your heart...~  
Cause that's the place I want to go...~  
I'm aiming for your heart...~  
Cause-that's the-place I want to know...~_

 _And even if its miles away...~  
I'll be-there...right beside-you...~  
I'm-aiming for your heart...~  
And I'll al-ways be right there by your side...~_

The music raises a note as Logan follows the pitch and tempo increase with his own voice, singing the lyrics with a sudden surge of passion than I've never seen him match in the time that I've known him. _The quiet ones are the ones who feel the most..._

 _I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
Cause-that's the-place I want to go!~  
I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
Cause-that's the-place I want to knoow!~_

 _Even-though if we're niight and daay!~  
I'll be-there...right beside-you!~  
I'm-aiming for your heaart!~  
I'm-changing-oouut my-shadoow for the-liight!~_

Logan breaks into sudden dances as the guitar moves into a competitive solo with the piano, both instruments trying to outdo the other in intensity. All the while, Logan is matching the beat move for lyric and I have to look away for a moment to put a hand to my head at the intensity of the song, the shifting moods, and the visual stimulus starting to hurt my brain. _Logan...you gotta not do this to me...this is too intense..._

My head doesn't stay down or turned away for long because Marie moves my head back up with her hand accompanied by a frustrated growl. "Don't look away. See this through to the end," she commands and keeps my head in place as Logan's display starts to slow down and his head lowers for the finale.

 _And I-know...for-sure...~  
That you-and-I are so-so different...~  
But even-with all of this difference...~  
Won't you share...the brilliance of your life?...~_

He takes a knee while singing, slowly raising his head and beckoning with his right hand towards our table. What happens next I barely see because Tanrine can move faster than most of us can follow. The most I catch is Logan moving to both knees and bracing himself as Tanrine leaps into his arms, both of them embracing each other desperately.

"I thought...I thought you didn't like me!" Tanrine sobs uncontrollably as she tightens her embrace, Logan starting to tear up as he does the same. "I don't like you...I love you, Tanrine..." he replies in a sad voice, finally losing control of his emotions and letting tears flow freely down his face as they both start to sob lightly. The entire exchange is carried over the mic that he hadn't turned off but they didn't seem to notice their sobs travelling around the bar.

Marina is quick to step in, moving out of her seat and reaching for the mic to turn it off and take it off his head. An accurate toss places the mic back on top of the sound system and she turns back to pick them both up in her arms effortlessly. Her hair tentacles move around them to keep them stable as she turns towards the exit and leaves with a neutral expression, the two squids she's carrying still holding each other as she goes.

"We'll handle the rest, Marie. You squids enjoy your date," Pearl adds in as she also rises to leave, giving us a brief wave before hurrying after Marina. I wait until they fully leave before exhaling the breath I'm holding and leaning back in relief. "That...was something else..." I say idly to myself but Callie responds anyway with a knowing tone. "Ah, youth...always so melodramatic...kinda like-" I push Callie lightly with my shoulder before she can finish, her cheerful response becoming a giggle as she starts to brush my head with a hair tentacle. "Aw, is someone embarrassed? You wish you'd done something like that?" she gloats with an audible smile on her face and I shrug in response.

"You never asked me to do that so I wouldn't know."

* * *

"That was incredible! I've never seen Logan act like that and I always thought he's calm and collected!" Whinter says aloud as we walk down the street towards the penthouse while carrying extra food for those waiting for us at home. Vadelma agrees kindheartedly and Marian remains silent as usual. Callie responds from over my right shoulder, "He's finally coming out of his shell is all. It's bound to happen eventually."

"He just needed a push," I state with a shrug that I regret when I feel Callie tighten her grip on my neck and shoulders. My hair tentacles respond to my reaction by moving between Callie and I in an attempt to dislodge her from my back but I quickly stop myself and brace her instead. Embarrassment rises when I feel her body press against mine and her mouth nibble on my ear lightly, her whisper causing my spine to shiver slightly. "Let's wait till we get home first...ditch the others...then we'll finish our date-"

"Yes, we will," Marie adds with finality and when I look over at her on my left, the face she gives me brooks no argument despite the smile. "But we still have a delivery to make," she concludes, gesturing with her head towards the bags the group is carrying. Scurry nudges my right shoulder lightly with her elbow before she adds in her usual gloating tone, "You are _so_ in trouble with Clementine when we get back. There's no way she isn't mad after what happened to Tanrine-"

"I'll handle that end," Whinter interjects, my head swiveling further to the right to see him grinning widely and nodding to himself. I give him a nod of thanks but am unsure if he's able to do as he says. _It's gonna get violent if he can't._

The next thing I know, we're back at the penthouse and I'm nudging the door open with a foot. I'm barely through the door before Clementine is shouting at me. "You! What did you do to those two?! Marina and Pearl brought them back sobbing their eyes out and the four of them haven't come out of their room since!" she exclaims with a frown and arms crossed from her seat at the table. She's the only one sitting there like an angry parent but Angelo and Taloupe nearby in the living room playing a Squidbox console on the main TV display. I get distracted by them playing what looks like Squidcraft, my body moving on its own towards the living room to watch until Clementine snaps at me to pay attention. The movement stops as I turn back towards her in embarrassment. "Are you gonna _bother_ explaining yourself or are Marie and Callie gonna bail you out like they always do?!"

Marie is on my left now and when I look towards her, she remains silent but tilts her head slightly with a wicked smile. I sigh lightly as I try to form a coherent response. "We did as we said...we took them to where they wanted to go on their date...and Logan and Tanrine had an emotional confession moment and...ended up like that..." My head turns back to Clementine who's boring into me with her eyes and from the unwavering gaze, she isn't convinced. "That's the last time I let you take them out on the town if _this_ is the result-"

"Oh, they're fine!" Pearl interrupts from the hallway as she gingerly strolls into the conversation and takes a seat at the table, gesturing towards me as she sits down. I snap to attention and start moving the bags of food onto the table so that she can peruse through them. She has a wide smile on her face as she searches the bags. "By the way? I don't think we can treat them like kids anymore. They're _definitely_ squids now," she states with mild amusement, my head tilting slightly from not understanding her meaning.

Clementine catches onto her statement and looks at Pearl in bewilderment. "He didn't..." she manages but Pearl starts to grin in response. "Marina and I are pretty sure he did. We're adults here and they've probably been holding _that_ one in for a while," she states with a shrug as she suddenly takes out a box and devours its contents. Whatever it is, it's gone in a moment. Clementine is already moving out of her seat to move towards the hallway but Whinter is standing in her way with his hands up to hold her back. "Get out of my way, Whinter!" she snaps at him angrily but he doesn't move and smiles awkwardly at her in response. "Look, let's just calm down and not do anything rash until tommorow, OK? Give them their moment-"

"Their moment?!" she snaps back while trying to shove Whinter out of the way but to his credit, he remains in place and stops her attempts to move past him. Clementine rants as she tries to move past him. "They went and decided to be a couple on their own and didn't bother to get the consent of _either_ team before going ahead! When I get my hands on _both_ of them-"

"That can happen _tommorow_ , not today," Whinter says more forcefully and it shocks us all when he puts his hands on her shoulders and sits her down. It's shocks Clementine too, who looks at him in mute surprise as he sighs and tries to explain himself. "They've been through a lot today already, Clem. They don't need you barking at them so let's just cut them some slack for today and then you can shout at them as much as you want tommorow. Agreed?" His tone brooks no argument and Clementine is staring daggers at him in response, my body tensing at the threat of danger. _I don't know if Clementine is gonna back down-_

She doesn't back down, throwing off Whinters hands suddenly and surging to her feat to stare him down face to face with a snarl. Whinter stands idly with a neutral expression as Clementine growls into his face but suddenly rolls his eyes with a smile and moves towards her. All of a sudden, he's smothering her with a kiss that she tries to resist angrily with her hands and hair tentacles but slowly succumbs to over time, breaking away from the kiss breathing aggressively. "I'm gonna...splat you...when this is over..." she gasps as she allows herself to get picked up and carried away. Whinter's cheerful voice trails off as he walks down the hallway. "I know. You always say that."

"Clementine's a piece of work. Is she always that angry?" Pearl adds in suddenly, bringing my attention back to her. I don't get to answer because Callie starts to whisper into my ear again, my face blushing at the words she says. I clear my throat awkwardly as I turn towards the hallway.

"I'll...get back to you on that..."


	49. Retaining

**Chapter XIV: Retaining**

* * *

"I'm starting to understand how you work," Marie whispers between kisses as she pins me to the bed with her body, taking the initiative as soon as we're in range. I'm shimmying myself to the centre of the bed even as our arms move around each other out of habit. "You give us what we need, not what we want," she continues while aggressively undoing my Hero vest, my own hands pulling the sash on her kimono loose in response. She stops undressing me to roll her shoulders and move her arms back, allowing the outfit to slide off her and quickly moving to undo her bra.

"For me, you do as your told and disobey only when you need to," she whispers as she leans onto me with a thud and continues to kiss me, stopping again to pull back and yank off my vest and shirt when her skin touches clothing. She lets out an excited sigh when she leans forward again and touches her skin to mine. _Skin contact on her chest is her turn on...go figure._ Hands are already moving even as the thought forms to undo what clothing remains on us but even with the distraction, I couldn't miss the slight growl when she states, "But I hate it when you indulge Callie's plans...it's like your undermining me just for the fun of it-"

"That's not my intent. I just think we need to try some of her plans and give her the chance to come up with something amazing," I whisper back as calmly as possible but she sighs in frustration anyway, her mood shifting to irritated as she stares at me. "And that's why she loves you. You make her foolish plans work instead of shooting them down like I do...how come you can't do that with me?" she states, quickly shifting to sad as I bring her into a hug while returning her sigh. "Because you have more responsibility and your plans have life or death consequences...I'm not doing it-"

"-because you want to, it's because you need to," she finishes but I can hear her voice start to break slightly. My hands are already brushing her hair tentacles out of habit when she starts to sob lightly. "I don't...I don't want to be here...I don't want to be in charge...but...but no one else can do it right now...and I can't bring myself to push it on someone else-"

I smile and sigh at her words while continuing to rub her head with my left hand, my other hand rubbing her back. "We've been over this, Marie. Trust your subordinates. You can't do this alone and you aren't doing this alone...but what do we need us to do to convince you?" I chuckle to myself when I see her mood shift slightly and feel her face rub against mind. "I feel like if I keep asking, you'll eventually give me an answer."

She doesn't answer because she starts kissing me aggressively to keep my mouth from forming words, my body already responding by returning her affection. _That's new. She doesn't normally do that like the others._ I let her have her way but her aggression goes further, one of her hands moving from my back to my rear that she gently squeezes. The feeling makes me uncomfortable but not overly concerned. _Let her take charge...she needs this._

To my credit, I don't flinch like I have before but her hands are already moving again, placing themselves on the front of my shoulders as she breaks away and goes vertical to line herself up with me. My hands are on her hips as she slowly connects us, both of us sighing in relief at the feeling of warmth as she leans forward and presses herself against me. She laughs to herself and kisses my neck a few times. "You're so easy. As soon as someone offers something physical, your resistances melts away-" she whispers in a seductive tone, the tone both confusing and arousing at the same time. _This isn't like her...something's different._

 _"-_ and that's what I like about you. You don't overcomplicate anything," she whispers before moving up to my face and smothering me with more kisses, my entire body starting to succumb to the sensations. Despite the physical stimulus and the mood trying to set in, I find part of my thoughts mildly irritated by her statement and stop her kisses for a moment to give her a partially glum look. "I'm not... _that_ easy...even I have demands-"

"Like what?" she interrupts, staring at me challengingly with a serious gaze that I can't hold for long. I try to turn my head to the left in evasion but she nudges my face back with hers to keep me facing her. "Um...well...at the minimum, I'd like to stay healthy and not be exhausted all the time...uh..." I stammer, finding myself on the spot and not having a formal answer.

The silence stretches out as she continues to stare at me, waiting patiently for me to answer. "Marie-" I try to say but she shakes her head once before cutting me off. "No, not this time. You can't avoid this question forever," she states and I find my discomfort increasing at her intense scrutiny. I try to look away again but she nudges me back into place again. "It's embarrassing to say-" I state as I'm being nudged back but Marie commands me to say it, this time a little more forcefully. I sigh as I close my eyes and try to form something coherent. "You know how you...you said you wanted to have inklings of your own?" I start in a whisper, opening my eyes to see Marie giving me her full attention and grow very still. I swallow in nervousness before continuing. _She's scary when she's serious._ "I've been mulling it over and...I think I want the same thing-"

Her face moves from stern to a half smile in an instant, the sudden change in mood taking me off guard. She puts her head on my shoulder softly, making sure to brush my face slowly with hers as she does so. "If that's what you want, you'll have to leave a stronger imprint on me," she whispers into my ear and I flinch when her arms swiftly wrap around my back.

My arms and hair tentacles are wrapped around her body but I'm still pinned to the bed by her weight, starting to blush when I realize that we're still connected. "Is...that a challenge?" I ask her but her response is a cryptic smile as she see's my realization. "Don't tire yourself out. Callie's going after me, remember?" she commands and I catch slight movement on my right at the mention of Callie, looking over to see her trying to hide behind the bed's edge. Our eyes lock for a moment as I give her a mildly irritated expression but she remains where she is and shows no signs of remorse. _No shame, that one-_

"You already knew she'd be there. Now focus," Marie whispers as she nudges my face back with her own. She's still half smiling when she waits a few seconds for me to give her my full attention, my eyes eventually locking onto hers. "And what do I keep telling you when we're together like this?" she gloats but doesn't let me answer immediately due to more kissing as if trying to test if I'm still focusing. I give her a crooked smile when she finally relents enough to let me answer. "That when we're together, you're the only important person to me and that my primary objective is to-" I say sarcastically and am rewarded with an annoyed expression on her face and a groan of annoyance. "Don't you start being snarky with me. If you kill the mood, I _will_ hurt you," she threatens, my smile dropping as I nod quickly and give her a quick yes ma'am. She doesn't take it well, quickly snapping at me, "And don't call me that. It makes me feel old when you call me that."

"Trying to take Clementine's position as my mom with your demands?" I add in with a grin but Marie growls and surges forward, biting down on my shoulder hard and doing her best to make the wound as painful as possible by working her teeth to shred the skin. I bar my teeth and groan at the sudden pain but as soon as it begins, Marie pulls away and spits to her right to clear her mouth of ink. "I did warn you, didn't I? You don't take me seriously enough at times like this and it pisses me off," she growls before sighing theatrically and moving towards me again. I tense as she does so, expecting more violence but instead feel her tongue start to lick the wound that begins to close. Her licking slow and deliberate, her mouth even clamping down playfully to suck on the wound as I shiver slightly at her attention. _My shoulders, ears and rear...they know my weak spots..._

When the wound finally seals and she pulls away, she gives the wound a last kiss. "I don't enjoy hurting you but I might as well make it fun when I have to," she comments as she moves her arms from behind me and crosses them on top of my chest, giving me a look of part annoyance and part understanding. I roll my left shoulder in response, testing the wound and finding lingering pain. "I beg to differ. I think everyone enjoys hurting me to some degree because I bounce back every time," I say a little too seriously and I try to look away from the hurt expression she gives me but scoff at myself when she chuckles and nudges me back to face her. There's a hint of smug playfulness as she does so. "Kosh, you aren't enviable to constant pain...you worry me at how reckless you can be," she whispers and my mood shifts to match the tone, finally catching some of the undercurrents she's giving off. _I always worry them because although we can't-_

I let the thought lead nowhere, instead following an unspoken need and moving us onto our sides with arms and hair tentacles. It's no small amount of relief when she doesn't push back and gives me a smile that makes me feel bad. _We're both evading now._ There's plenty I want to say to her but I throw it out because it isn't as important at this moment. "Will you help me raise a child?" I ask her in a whisper and she starts to tear up, something that I mirror even as we start to tumble into physical contact.

"Yes...of course, I will..."

* * *

I almost fall asleep from the sheer amount of sharing ink I just did, my entire body slightly damp and heavily exhausted. Callie has other ideas, gently moving Marie off of me to her side of the bed and giving me an excited grin that reminds me of how predatory she can be. _Waiting for the prey to tire itself out before moving in for the kill...that's a scary analogy..._ "I've never seen Marie act so aggressively when sharing ink! You really pushed the right buttons!" she whispers a little too loudly as she starts to wipe me down with the sheets, my body responding quickly to the coming ordeal. I gasp in exhaustion and splutter, "Just give me...a few moments...I still can't feel my legs-"

"Oh, relax! I'm not about to immediately jump you after seeing what I just saw. We'll take it slow," she giggles but I already know where this is going. I have enough time to look down slowly before she latches onto me with her mouth, a slight groan of discomfort mixed with pleasure coming out of me. _Her definition of slow is different._ My body twitches lightly at her attention and she releases me after a few seconds to giggle again. "Oh, you can't feel your legs, huh? You seem fine to me-"

"Callie, we've been over this..." I slur but she ignores my protests, launching herself forward with her arms to land on top of me with a thud. I cough at the sudden pressure on my chest and find myself looking into Callie's grinning face with a mix of excitement and dread. _Oh no, her ink's heated. That's when she's most dangerous._ "You know, you _really_ shouldn't indulge Marie's every whim because I can say one or two or all of us are gonna get jealous," she whispers with a hint of threat before kissing me suddenly and aggressively, my system flooded with a sensation of warmth. I grunt slightly from the pain of her grip clamping down on my arms and pinning them to prevent any form of rebuttal. Even in my exhausted state, I try to return her affection as best I can and am rewarded with her arms releasing mine and moving around my back.

When she finally pulls away with a loud, satisfied sigh, I feel my eyes start to flutter closed from exhaustion but am awakened when Callie shakes me by the shoulders gently. She keeps grinning at me even as she kisses me slowly this time, making sure to keep me awake and giggling to herself when she feels me twitch. "You...belong...to me..." she whispers slowly between kisses and my head slightly turns to the right when she starts licking my face. _Out of all the things they do, why do they enjoy licking the most?_

Callie surges back suddenly, turning my head so that I'm looking at her as she undoes her kimono with a flick of her hand. The sash flies away as she forces off the kimono in one move, her bra undone and coming off from a flick of her other hand. I find myself being pulled face first into her chest and feel myself blushing at being there. "Now be honest, Kosh. Who has a bigger pair, me or Marie?" she asks playfully but giggles knowing that she's preventing me from answering with her hug.

I try to pull away but she holds me in place, clearly enjoying herself by the way she's still giggling. "You have to answer this way! It's my rules so you have to abide by them," she gloats and I turn my head upwards to see, catching her mischievous smile as I do. "Well...if I'm being honest..." I start to croak but she pushes my head towards her chest and suddenly looks very threatening. "Think carefully about your answer," she whispers with threat and I start to feel uncomfortable with her shifting moods. "Before I answer, I need to know why you're suddenly asking these questions. You don't normally-"

"Answer my question first and I _might_ answer yours," she retorts playfully but with a hint of irritation, my shoulders shrugging as I accept her answer despite my misgivings. I eventually say as calmly as I can manage, "If I'm being honest, you both have the same pair. I've been around you both long enough to know that as much as both of you think you have a different size...you don't."

Her neutral face becomes a grin as she releases her grip on my head and pulls me bodily into a hug, a grunt of discomforting coming from me when her hug starts to crush my torso. "Good answer! It's just an old joke between Marie and me," she states as she eases her grip, allowing me to breathe with a spluttering gasp. My curiosity gets the better of me when I ask, "And when was this? I never heard this before-"

"This was back during our younger years when we started growing into squids. You know...coming of age and learning that you have certain...parts...that start to develop..." She starts to trail off near the end and I turn around to see what she's staring at. Marie's back is to us but her head is turned in our direction until she notices us staring and turns back slowly to pretend like she's sleeping. When I turn back, Callie is giving me a sad face. "I...haven't told anyone that..." she whispers and I didn't know what to do with what I'm told. Callie makes the decision for me. "But enough about the past! We aren't here for that!" she blurts as she tries to brush off the feeling of awkwardness but I put my arms on her shoulders when I notice the wildness in her eyes. I try to remain calm as I whisper, "Callie, what's wrong? You don't usually fret over the small details-"

"I'm fine!" she snaps too loudly, glancing at Marie again quickly enough that I almost miss it. _I know better than to push her but..._ Callie tries to continue what we started by moving towards me but I keep her in place, staring at her as she pries my hands off with her own and forces me to use my hair tentacles to keep her in place to her growing ire. Unfortunately, she has hair tentacles of her own that she deflects mine with aggressively, overpowering me so that I'm on my back held down by her arms and hair tentacles. I'm unable to move and staring into eyes now angry at my defiance. "I said I'm fine! Why are you acting like this!? Aren't you supposed to be doing everything I say!?" she growls with teeth bared and I feel her fingers start to dig into my skin painfully.

She sniffs lightly as tears start to form but she shakes her head swiftly to force them away. It doesn't work and she starts rambling about something else entirely, lowering her head as tears fall down her face. "Why...why do you make me do this!? Why can't you just do as I say!? Why..." she says with a tremor and slight terror hits me when she releases my right arm to hit the bed a few times in frustration. "Why are you so stubborn!? Why can't you just fix this!?"

I hear Marie exhale sadly from her spot, looking over to see her start to curl inwards. Not understanding, my head darts back and forth among them trying to figure it out until it finally clicks. _Today...today is-_

I move my right arm out of Callie's grip, finding no resistance as I use both arms to bring her towards me. She latches onto me with arms and hair tentacles as her emotions finally give out, sobbing loudly as I bring her with me into a laying position. My right arm and hair tentacles move around Marie nearby, turning her towards me and revealing her initial quiet sobs and a face quickly saddening as I bring her to lay with us. They both lose control and sob in their own way, tears burning my skin and arms latching onto me as my own tears start to fall. Even though we share the pain, I find it darkly humorous that I don't cry out with them, listening silently as Callie cries herself hoarse.

 _Callie's making enough noise for all of us...after all, today's the day the Cap'n died..._


	50. Progress

**Chapter XV: Progress**

* * *

 **You were my hero! Why did you do that to us!? To them!? WHY!?**

* * *

I don't remember falling asleep, waking up emotionally and physically drained after an unknown amount of hours. My dream follows me into wakefulness, my voice still ringing in my ears at what I said to the image of the squid who's been dead for two years. _How could he have known this would happen...no one could predict this..._

The second thing I notice is that Callie and Marie are still holding onto me, Callie breathing loudly and Marie almost silent while they sleep. My hair tentacles had wrapped around them before I fell asleep and now, I couldn't move because the hair tentacles are squashed between their bodies and the mattress. I look around the room out of habit with a limited field of vision thanks to my hair tentacles being pinned and find no one else, a small sense of discomfort starting to rise inside me at us being alone. _I'm so used to waking up with all the others around...that's comforting...but is that me or the octarian me?_

My hair tentacles try to squirm their way out from under Callie and Marie who roll further on top of me to allow them to move, adding their weight to mine in the process. I chuckle slightly when I embrace them with my arms and hair tentacles, slowly leaning upwards with a grunt of effort. I get halfway when I hear Callie exhales lightly, a smile on her face when she exerts her weight onto me with Marie doing the same silently. Surprisingly, I laugh quietly in response at ending up back where I started instead of my usual frustration. "As much as I enjoy our antics together, we probably have things to do today or some other...convincing reason?" I say with a smile while looking between them, both of them returning my smile but showing no signs of moving.

They look at each other and share a silent conversation, Marie nodding and moving off me to the edge of the bed. I try to follow her movement but Callie turns my head back towards her with a hand to see her grinning face. "Thanks for being there for us last night...let me reward you..." she whispers before gently kissing me to prevent a rebuttal. I'm able to give incoherent, rushed responses between growing aggressiveness. "I don't...always need...this...I can do...movies...maybe dinner-"

Callie stops for a moment with a satisfied gasp to place her forehead on mine, widely smiling down at me as she slows her breathing. "We can do that too but... _this_ requires less...and besides-" she whispers as she leans back and moves fully on top of me, following Marie's example by connecting us but with much more noise. _We're gonna wake everyone up at this rate..._ "-we didn't get to share ink yesterday so you owe me today."

"Can't argue with that logic," I say sarcastically as I go vertical, Callie already latching onto me with arms, legs, and hair tentacles as I rise while I start to do the same to her with arms and hair tentacles only. She giggles at my sudden assertiveness and kisses me once before responding. "Oh, _now_ you don't want to argue...and Marie says you don't over complicate things...shows what she knows," she whispers with a low growl of satisfaction as she tightens her grip. We both have the same epiphany simultaneously, our faces going semi serious before we start kissing with abandon. Now in full swing, Callie ends up on her back with her giggling between kisses in response. "Someone's getting into it...you think with all the...sharing ink you do-" she whispers before gasping when I push myself into her slightly, involuntarily tightening her grip further. "-that you'd get tired of this..."

"And let down everyone I know and love?...I'm not about to do that," I whisper in response but from the look in her eyes, we both realize that the time for words is officially over. She takes the initiative again, pulling my head into more kisses until she's sure that I fully understand what she wants. Her hair tentacles are busy rubbing my back as her hands and legs stay locked on my body and I smile while kissing her from her usual habit even as I keep moving my hips. _She won't let go until I tire her out...but I like challenges..._

A cloud of euphoria and urgency settles on us, both of us in a hurry to get to our shared goal as quickly as possible and using our bodies to portray that earnestness. It isn't something I'd normally do but I follow Callie's lead, moving at a steady but rushed pace while thoroughly enjoying the warmth she's giving off. _Callie and Pearl are always the heaters._ My body starts to sweat lightly from our combined body heat but it only adds to our fervor, becoming sticky only exciting her and I further.

Both of us tighten our grips and vibrate slightly as I feel my ink leave my body to coat her insides, Callie responding by breaking away to moan loudly in relief. I share her relief with a groan of my own and the stickiness only gets worse when our bodies press together, my entire front now partially stuck to hers. "And to think two years ago...you were embarrassed to see any skin at all-" Callie whispers through breaths, already pulling my face into more gentle kisses yet not releasing her hair tentacles and legs. She hums to herself when she pauses to enjoy the moment. "-and now here you are pinning me to a bed with one of your hands on my rear."

Confused at her words and still breathing a little too quickly, I look down to see that she's right. "Oh...I didn't even notice..." I say between breaths but as I try to move my hand, she presses her body downwards so I can't move the hand and at the same time, moves my head back up slowly so she can lick my face. An awkward smile rises to my mouth as she makes me more sticky. "Callie, come on...I don't enjoy-"

"Yes, you do," she quickly retorts before continuing, my smile becoming uncomfortable as I try to remain calm and not pull away. My discomfort only makes her lick with more gusto. "If you didn't like it, you'd have told us otherwise by now. You haven't," she giggles, mixing in a few kisses between the licks as I start to blush. "Am I...that transparent?" I whisper to her and she giggles again, stopping for a moment to bring my forehead to hers. "Yes, you are...but that's one reason we like you...plus you paid _dearly_ when you tried to lie to us..." she whispers, her voice slowly increasing in threat while her arms and hair tentacles tighten their grip on my head and body.

I shiver slightly in response, something she notices with grim amusement. "That's...true...and disturbing. Does that mean I'm being...trained...to be the ideal squid?" I ask curiously and Callie gives me an elongated 'maybe' with a wide grin. Instead of my usual irritation, I end up shrugging lightly and smiling. _Did I really expect anything else?_ "I guess that's fine...it's not like I know how to deal with any of you squids anyway..." I whisper sarcastically, already trying to move into another bout of sharing ink that Callie enthusiastically obliges.

A hand touches my shoulder before we can start and I look up to see Marie dressed in her Hero gear staring at us intensely. "Your clothes are in the bathroom. Both of you go get ready," she commands before moving away from us. Callie is already pushing me gently off and moving after her while asking the question on my mind. "Did something come up that we need our gear?" she asks in a serious tone, Marie stopping at the edge of the bed and half turning her head. The look she gives us remains serious.

"Nothing came up...there's something we didn't do yesterday..."

* * *

All three of us exit the room in a somber mood, dressed in full gear without weapons and heading down the hallway at a moderate pace. From the noise and smells in the kitchen and dining areas, we're the last up and heads from the table turn to us with a mix of confusion and amusement. Pearl is the quickest to speak, swallowing her food quickly before grinning at us with debris stuck in her teeth. "You know...I thought sharing ink is an afternoon or nighttime activity and not something you do as soon as you wake up. I guess I learned something today," she states with a grin, some of the squids at the table looking at her and chuckling to themselves. I nod and look to Callie who's not wearing her sunglasses like she usually does in uniform, her only response a grin at me.

"Yeah, we got too loud...sorry about that," I finally say after a brief pause but as I turn back towards the table to claim a seat, my body is pulled gently the other direction. My feet leave the ground as the familiar sensation of hair tentacles surrounding me gives me a partial hint at who it is. "I missed you..." I hear Flurry say gently behind me, smiling to myself as her hands move around my chest and I place my hands on top of hers. "Can you at least turn me around?" I reply in a similar tone, waiting patiently for her to do so.

She does so slowly and cautiously because in my turn towards her, Marina hovers into view with a neutral yet disappointed expression. Her own hair tentacles wrap around the parts of my torso still exposed and I can feel the two pairs of hair tentacles trying to dislodge the other. "I'm aware you're both my elder and superior but...don't think you can hog him to yourself," Marina says sternly as she moves to stand next to Flurry, both of them staring at each other intensely as the stink of confrontation starts to rise.

A growl escapes me and my hair tentacles starts to change involuntarily, both of them surprised and loosening their grip enough on me that I touch the ground again. My hair tentacles turn them towards me and brings them closer but the discomfort on their faces causes me to pause and shake my head, confusion starting to set in as my head starts to hurt. "What...what was that?" I ask them, not sure what I answer I want to hear.

Flurry smiles nervously as she responds to my question. "That's what octarian males do when confronted with two females in conflict. Normally when they interpose themselves between the two, all it does is put the male in harms way but...you aren't the typical octarian male." There's a fearful tone to her voice despite her face trying to remain calm and I can see it mirrored in Marina, my hair tentacles responding to their fear by detaching. They show relief at being released and only after the hair tentacles do so do I note the much longer and slightly thicker nature of the limbs, the feeling of twelve now on my head instead of eight.

"Oh, great. Am I gonna keep mutating?" I scoff as I start focusing on changing the tentacles back. The effort causes my headache to increase but I power through it, forcing the limbs back into shape. Hands brace me as I close my eyes from the sudden dizzyness, my body held in place as it tries to fall over. "You shouldn't do that when you're exhausted and hungry," Flurry adds in to my groan of annoyance, my body stubbornly trying to right itself but finding the limbs non responsive.

Marina is chuckling to herself as she picks me up, Flurry releasing her grip on me to allow her to move me towards a chair at the table. "I find it funny that he did _exactly_ what an octarian male would do. He put himself in harms way angrily so that he'd be seen only to end up weakened. Our concern forces the maternal instincts in every octoling to kick in, thereby ending their conflict...some things are genetic, I guess..." My body slumps slightly even as I try to remain upright, Scurry grinning next to me only adding to my annoyance. "You should've seen them yesterday. We had to lock them in Sheldon's room to prevent them from bursting in on you and the Sisters. They practically tore the room apart," she gloats, my head slowly nodding as I grunt in exhaustion.

Looking across the table, Sheldon and Drosyn are sharing a meal with Drosyn using her hair tentacles to feed them both. Some of her hair tentacles are wrapped around Sheldon's body. _Protective instinct. It must've gotten bad if she feels the need to do that._ "Alright, in the future? No one squid gets to spend the night without the others," I croak, coughing lightly at the sudden dryness I feel in my throat.

I expect more disappointment or even open hostility from those involved but the opposite occurs, Callie and Marie looking at each other with amusement then beaming smiles at me from their seats. "Still deciding things for yourself, are you?" Marie says jokingly with a chuckle, Callie sharing her mirth as she sits down next to Pearl who's also smiling. "We shared some interesting stories while you two were busy with him...like how Callie used to peep on him when she thought he wasn't aware," she gloats to Callie who slumps in her chair slightly in embarrassment as Marie shrugs. "Only...a few times..." Callie responds timidly as she starts to eat the food in front of her at a slow pace, my face smiling at her sudden caution even as I'm being passed a drink by Scurry.

Everything at the table is the usual routine except for one pair of squids, Scurry catching me staring at Logan and Tanrine and chuckling in response. "Yeah, they've been acting all close and personal all morning. I'm not sure what kind of performance he-" she says with amusement before I say her name gently with a grin of embarrassment to stop her. When I look back, Logan is staring at me but instead of the quiet and shy squid I'm used to, he smiles at me confidently and gives me a nod. _I've been on that ride before. Once the feelings happen, everything falls into place and next thing you know, you're waking up next to another squid that you just shared bodies with the night before._

"Why do you reserve energy to be lost in thought?" Scurry asks genuinely and I snap back to the room with a grunt. "It's _because_ I'm tired that I'm lost in thought," I respond groggily, taking a sip of the drink in front of me and startled by the taste of apple. "That's different. I was expecting something...citrus or milky...but mild fruit?" I muss aloud, Scurry giggling to herself as she takes a bite of the sandwich in front of her. "Guess who decided to step up and cook for a change," she states with a grin, flicking her head towards Whinter's seat.

I look over at them and am confused that Clementine isn't mad and is having a pleasant conversation with a grinning Whinter. "Hey, quit getting distracted," Scurry interjects as she lightly turns my head back towards her with a hair tentacle. My mouth opens as she places the edge of a sandwich into my mouth, my teeth biting down and chewing the piece before swallowing it. "This is...really good...I think Whinter found his niche," I whisper to her, Scurry chuckling lowly and shushing me. "Don't say that too loudly. He's already got a big enough head from all the praise he's getting for this one success."

"Credit where credit is due," I retort before moving my mouth forward and seizing the entire sandwich in my teeth, Scurry giggling as she let's go of the sandwich and watches me tongue the remaining parts of the sandwich into my mouth to chew it. "That bad, huh? I was expecting Callie to wring you dry and us having to carry you out. I'm surprised that she didn't completely drain you," she states happily but the mood is already shifting for me, souring as I swallow the food. My voice is somber when I respond.

"Yeah...about that..."

* * *

Marie was the one who told the others what was happening today, each of them surprised at first but nodding grimly at what we needed to do. They all agreed to our uniforms minus the headgear since it didn't seem necessary. Even Angelo, who normally wore his goggles everywhere he went, only wore them sparingly when the light started to hurt his eyes. The octolings were wearing the old uniforms of their unit, fatigues and berets now worn proudly and looking like they did years prior. It was a blow when they finally realized that half of them were dead, Marina the first to break down into tears before the rest followed suit.

Despite us being there to comfort them, the pain of loss was strong enough that they almost agreed not to come with us. That was until Marie told them the other reason we were going, a shocker for all involved since no one but Marie knew. Even Callie and I, who pride ourselves in knowing everything Marie knows, were kept in the dark about this final piece of information. We all started to have our doubts about going at that point but I ended up ironing out everything with my stubbornness, saying to them that we can't run from the past and that we had to put this to rest.

Everyone seemed to agree with me reluctantly but still prepared mentally and physically for our trip, heading out of the penthouse front door as a team united in purpose with one destination in mind.

Octo Canyon, now the resting place of Shirei Cuttlefish and Daigaku Jiai Octavio.

* * *

It felt strange leading the way alone along the paved streets of Octo Canyon since I'm used to following behind Marie and Callie in situations like these. It's a form of punishment as Marie said before we left since I decided to speak out and convince everyone to follow "my plan", not only overwriting Marie's authority but overwriting the opinions of everyone in the penthouse. I can feel Marie and Callie boring into my back with their eyes as I walk but mostly ignore it, focusing more on how much the place had changed.

Everything is renovated now that Octarians are living here after being dislocated from their land, most of them acknowledging our group but keeping their distance. Timothy and his son are there too, Timothy nodding to me when I look his direction and his son waving at me happily with a bright smile. Someone else is standing with him with a grim smile of their own, an octarian who steps into the street in a uniform that I recognize. My entire body swivels towards them as I stop dead, shock taking over at who's approaching me. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," Claire says to me with great amusement, patting me on the right shoulder twice as I try to fumble for words. "Well? Say something. It's not like lost your ability to speak-"

"You...you're dead..." I stutter, Claire laughing in response as she shakes her head. "Oh, now I feel insulted. We don't see each other for months and that's all you can muster? You wound me, O.L.S." she gloats with a grin but only for a moment, immediately turning to her left and saluting to Flurry who approaches. "I only just got back into it, boss. Reporting for duty," she says in clipped tones but Flurry simply stares at her with a neutral expression. She drops her salute with a grin as she continues. "You don't like Timothy and I get that but he saved my life by completing my registration to Inkopolis. If it wasn't for him-"

"You don't need to explain," Flurry interrupts in a commanding tone, Claire no longer grinning as they stare at each other in silence. Drosyn is there a few moments later, Claire losing her cool again to laugh when she sees Sheldon in Drosyn's arms. "Looks like I'm not the _only_ one breaking protocol. Let me guess-" she chuckles as she turns to look at me with a grin, "-he's yours, isn't he?" Flurry nods stiffly once which causes Claire to laugh again. "Well, we can blame the old man for that. What squid wouldn't date when they're told they shouldn't?"

The moment breaks when Marina rushes past Flurry and Drosyn, Claire barely registering the movement as Marina hugs her tightly and starts to sob. Claire breaks down as well, tearing up as she returns the hug. "So you made it after all...I didn't think I'd ever see you again, Marina...but what about...what about Laurana...and Steph..." she ask sadly but Flurry shakes her head no sadly.

Something registers on her face, a combination of shock and sadness. "Wait...those graves...the unmarked ones next to...those are..." Claire manages as Flurry nods, looking behind her as Marie steps forward with her own sadness. "Why...why bury them in unmarked graves?" she asks in sadness and outrage, Marie remaining silent as Flurry answers the question calmly. "Tradition states that the commanding officer of lost octolings marks the graves with the name and last words of those lost. I only learned today that Steph and Laurana had graves here," she states, nodding to Marie who steps back before turning back to her sister. "By tradition, it falls to me to write their names on their graves," she concludes and gestures to me with a nod, a serious look on her face.

I look to Marie for instructions but she gives me nothing to go by, her face remaining blank as she stares at me with hollow eyes. Despite my own sadness welling up, I'm able to turn back towards the street, nodding my head and gesturing towards our intended path to those behind me. I try to sound confident but those around me wouldn't believe the facade.

"We wont accomplish anything by standing here all day. Let's go visit the old fools."

* * *

I always mulled over what I would say to the Cap'n once I worked up the nerve to ask Marie where he's buried. Those of us who saw him die let Marie arrange where he'd go in the end, even Callie deferring her voice. There's no small amount of anger I feel towards him for all the horror he unleashed on myself and others, anger that I've had to vent to keep under control.

All that anger evaporates when I finally see the grave, a large, smooth stone with a carved mural on the front. The stone is in the center of a clearing that used to be our old home, Marie having it demolished and re-purposed when Octo Canyon was re purposed as a new living area. In the mural was Shirei Cuttlefish and Daigaku Jiai Octavio sitting on a bench facing us, looking young and healthy despite their age. The Cap'n and Octavio are smiling, the Cap'n's hand and Octavio's tentacle waving at those who pass the grave. My hand brushes the carved words underneath, slightly shaking from the mixed emotions I feel.

 _Here lies two friends, united at last._

 _May our children know the peace that we did not._

Everyone else is still behind me, watching me silently as I brush the words slowly with my hand. I put voice to some of the thoughts I have without meaning to, speaking in little more than a whisper. "I understand a little now...you both were dying...that's what you told each other on the day you let him go, right? You agreed to a time and a place for one last, grand battle to go out on...and you wanted your children to see it..." I put my hand on the Cap'n's, the murals hand only half the size of mine since it wasn't rendered in full size. "It's what Octavio needed, not what you wanted...the Great Turf War made it that way...to have peace, he wanted to die in battle..."

My hand pulls away because I have to wipe my tears away, wiping my eyes quickly so that I can put the hand back. The feeling of ink left on the hand mixes with the coolness of the stone. "I'm...I'm sorry that I don't understand...that I felt all this...anger...at what happened. It's not what you'd have wanted...for me to be angry all the time..."

I turn slightly to regard Octavio, an expression and manner that I never saw while he was alive displayed here for all to see. My hand shifts involuntarily, changing to a tentacle that touches the mural's waving tentacle and I nod my head grimly when I see that they match. "I know the truth...grandpa...Sheldon told me when he got another ink sample from me...your genes are what helped make me somehow, though I don't know by who or why..." I whisper, feeling my tears resurface and roll down my face. "Glag...started the fighting again...by accident...and I followed his lead...I know Flurry lied to me about her orders...her mission was to retrieve me and only me...and to splat anyone that stood in her way..."

My tentacle slides slowly along the stone, cold to the touch as I try to find something that I know I wouldn't find. _No warmth, no physical communication...nothing..._ "Glag was trying to protect us...as you were...as the Cap'n was...and that turned you against each other...you couldn't agree on what that meant..." I whisper and sigh in frustration with a bitter chuckle, smiling more out of remorse than happiness. "You squids are fools...all you had to do was talk it out and not hide the truth...and now I'm left wondering if the Cap'n told you...in the end...that he's what makes up the other part of me..."

My other hand moves into my field of view, a five fingered hand at odds with the tentacle touching the mural. "I'm left wondering if either of you knew the whole truth...and what help you got to make it happen..." I whisper, smiling to myself as I put my other hand on the mural, touching both of their hands. "The best part is, thought, that I don't really care about that anymore. I already know, for once, who I am and what I need to do. You can rest easy knowing that I'll keep your grandchildren safe...myself included. I won't let your last wish, the wish you both shared, go to waste."

Both hands remain in place as I stand there in silence, wishing that they were here so that I can talk to them again but knowing that it wont happen. I eventually nod my head and pull away from the mural, sighing gently as I take a step back. My body slowly turns around, knowing who I'll see when I do so.

Scurry is already launching a fist towards my face that I catch with my left hand, my face still sad as her face shows complete outrage. "You knew! You knew all this time and you didn't tell me! Why didn't you tell me!?" she shouts at me while trying to pull her fist out of my hand but is unable to. From her tone, she isn't just shouting at me but also at Sheldon who told me in private. "I wasn't ready to accept it...that-"

"SHUT UP AND LET GO!" she shouts in reply, now using her other hand to try and force my fingers open but still struggling. She launches herself into a frenzy with an outraged cry, using whatever free limbs she has to try and hit me. I take a few hits to my stomach and legs from her feet while taking several bit marks to my neck and shoulders from her teeth before my hair tentacles can keep her restrained. The wounds are leaking ink openly even as her aggression shows no signs of dimming. "I wasn't ready to accept that we'd splatted-"

"I SAID STOP!" she shouts again, still struggling to get herself free of my hair tentacles even as I pull her closer to me. She gives an angry cry that dissolves into sobs when I hug her, mixing in yells of frustration with tears as she eventually wears herself out and latches onto me with loud sobs. I close my eyes and tears start to fall down my face, my arms and hair tentacles holding her as my voice tries to get out what I need to say.

"I...I wasn't ready to accept that...we splatted family..."


	51. Renewal

**Chapter XVI: Renewal**

* * *

Although I'd thought that I was speaking to myself, I'd forgotten that the octolings present had heightened senses. I'm looking over Scurry's shoulder when they each respond to the news, Flurry trying to remain stoic and calm as Drosyn reverses Sheldon in her arms and demanding answers from him. "I ran my own ink tests trying to answer a past question...it's important to Kosh after all..." he says timidly, Drosyn staring him down with hostility but also unease. _The one she trusted most had kept secrets from her._

Marina falls to her knees roughly, head downcast and staring blankly at the ground for reasons I can't understand. Claire commands Timothy to take her son home, Timothy nodding and obeying without hesitation with the young squid asking aloud what was happening. "I didn't think it would turn up anything new...we didn't figure it out any other time..." Sheldon continues aloud while staring at Drosyn, focusing on her while he brings out his squidphone and quickly taps through several menus. He finds what he's looking for swiftly and show Drosyn what he found, her face now confused when she reads some of the contents. "Where did you get this?" she asks in confusion, Sheldon sighing to himself and asking if he could be turned around to face the others. It's not surprising that Drosyn doesn't obey and Sheldon nods reluctantly before resuming. "The last message of Cap'n Cuttlefish...the one with his final words that Kosh found...he told me when we recorded it to analyze it when it was time..."

Callie tries to interrupt from her spot nearby, her tone clearly outraged by the implication of the Cap'n involvement but Marie places her hand on her left shoulder and shakes her head no to her. Callie looks about to rebel but with gritted teeth, she breathes out and nods before crossing her arms and waiting. "I didn't know what I'd find...but what I did find..." Sheldon says when he's sure everyone's listening, his tone now slow and ashamed. _Sheldon always runs things by Marie before attempting them...but this is the Cap'n orders..._

He taps his phone once and an audio recording starts to play, an unfamiliar male voice speaking over the speaker. "Project Gemini marks the greatest advancement in genetic engineering and bio-enhancement technology that our combined science can produce, the full combination of genetic information from separate species into one organism. I won't let this project fail so easily," the voice states, everyone looking at each other wondering who this voice is.

Sheldon says nothing and lets the recording play. "The main goal of this endeavour is to create a superior species able to outclass any other species in our known societies, being stronger, tougher, smarter, faster, and so on. But so far, as you are all well aware, our initial samples and templates have yielded no viable results due to inferior gene sampling and complications," the voice elaborates and I find myself not understanding any of the contents. Nevertheless, the audio continues. "But we've finally found a solution. I've contacted old associates from my time during the Great Turf War and these associates are willing to provide genetic material for the creation of-"

A female voice interrupts before he can continue. "Are you sure such samples are viable? These new samples will be hundreds of years old and far too dated to use," the voice states, the tone matching someone who knew what they're talking about. The male voice laughs but only briefly. "Though I am certain that you are correct, we have nothing to lose by attempting this new template. I doubt we have much choice but to attempt the unexpected and might I remind you that our current approaches have resulted in failure. Therefore, we will agree to their terms and attempt this new experiment," the voice commands, a brief pause in the recording followed by a sigh from the other voice. "Very well, Doctor Shellendorf. We will proceed as you instruct. I will notify the staff of our...change in direction."

No one recognizes the name except Marie who storms over to Sheldon, Drosyn turning Sheldon towards her and wrapping her hair tentacle around him instinctively at the sign of threat. Sheldon doesn't show any signs of discomfort from the move, actively reaching out to hold Drosyn as she does so. "How long have you known this?" she demands from him sternly when she reaches them, Sheldon shrinking slightly at Marie's mounting rage as he remembers to stop the recording. "A month...I've kept it secret since then..." he stutters, not looking at Marie who's now rounding on me and storming towards me. "Did _you_ know about this?" she snaps as she approaches, her body shaking slightly from anger. "What!? No! This is the first time I've heard this," I say too quickly, Marie still visibly angry despite my answer.

Scurry is still in my arms as Marie shouts at me and the amount of pressure she's applying to my body with her limbs is increasing steadily. Before I can try and explain anything else, the recording plays a different conversation and another male voice that everyone present recognizes starts to speak. "What you are asking is beyond what even combined science can provide. The Kraken gene cannot and will not be bound to Inkling genetics. Even among octarians, only a rare few specimens express the gene and a high percentage of them become rampaging monsters," the voice states, a clipped tone belonging to Doctor Shokushu.

Marie turns her ire back on Sheldon but says nothing, crossing her arms and allowing the recording to play but not sparing him her glare. Even glaring at his back, Sheldon shrinks away from her growing anger. "But what if I told you that the gene will remain dormant and will only become active with the introduction of mature genetic material from another octarian? More specifically, the genetic material of Octavio himself?" the voice of Doctor Shellendorf states, a brief pause happening in the recording as Doctor Shokushu forms a response. "That is a risky proposition and will take ample time to culture. And how do you know that this delayed start will prevent the side effects I mentioned?"

Doctor Shellendorf laughs the same brief laugh as before, something friendly but not entirely genuine. "We make several templates and grow them in parallel, same as before. As they become active adults, instincts will influence them to seek comfort among their own to prevent gene contamination with other species-"

Sheldon stops the recording at that moment, my heading nodding lightly as Drosyn turns him around to face us. He looks disgusted now instead of fearful like he knew something he didn't want to know but was forced to hear it. "I'll make it shorter... your designation, Kosh, is Specimen PGT01, the primary template created from this...Project Gemini. Within you is the genetic information of the Cap'n and Octavio, modified with another piece of genetics that I haven't identified yet. My...grandfather...Doctor Shellendorf, was the director of that project."

I don't take the news well, feeling unexpected anger start to form in my brain that I have to shove down before it travels to action. I don't suppress it fast enough because my body still responds with clenched teeth and rising hair tentacles. _That...that can't be right..._ If Sheldon notices my anger, he doesn't show it as he turns his view towards Scurry. "Scurry is designated SGT02, the secondary specimen created with the same set of genes but a different mixture. She's meant to be your companion and eventually...bond with you," he states evenly, trying his best not to sound outraged at the prospect but failing.

Scurry pushes away from me, anger quickly returning to her face as she turns to face Sheldon. "No...No! None of that is true! I don't _care_ if that's what we were born as! I'm not some...some genetic experiment!" she shouts at him, my arms already moving around her shoulders to try and keep her calm but her body is still vibrating from contained rage. Sheldon continues despite her growing ire and from what I can tell, it's more for him than us that he speaks. "Glag, your brother, is a code name for Gene Lengthened Assistant and Guardian, created as your protector with accelerated ageing to be older and wiser in half the time," he states glumly, losing his calm as he exhales in frustration. _It's not every day you learn that your heroes lied to you..._

My anger is actively trying to blot out the words but the thinking part of me starts to build momentum and I notice that some of the information is missing to complete the whole picture. I smile grimly in response to finding myself in the dark again, ignorance more comforting than the harsh truths. "I hate to interrupt our shocking moment but...we still have other matters to attend to, right?" I say in an attempt to break the tension, everyone silent for long seconds until Callie interjects. "So all this time...all this time Grandpa _did_ know..." Callie says sadly from my left and when I look over at her, she's slowly moving to sit on the ground as Marie tries to keep her calm with hugs. She ends up breaking down quietly into her hands, Marie holding her but also in tears.

As much as I wanted to help them, my eyes turn back to Scurry who is slowly calming her rage as the information is absorbed, my own calmness seeming to transfer to her. I try to smile genuinely and find it easy to manage this time. "In a sense, I'm the Cap'n's son and Scurry is his daughter. The same can be said for us when concerning Octavio...and in another sense, I'm the uncle and your the aunt of the octolings of Octoling Unit DJO42-"

"What the hell..." Claire adds in idly from her spot, turning away from the group and shaking her head at this new information. Marina looks up from her spot on the ground with confused eyes and climbs to her feet, Flurry and Drosyn moving standing next to her and stare at me incredulously. None of them speaks for long moments and their scrutiny makes me uncomfortable until Flurry breaks the silence with a hurt tone. "Does this mean that...you won't be my Kurippu Shokushu?"

I laugh in response even knowing it's inappropriate, Flurry dipping her head sadly until I explain myself. "Of course I'll still be that. Nothing is changing here but the addition of more information that, honestly, doesn't mean much," I say with a smile but Flurry looks up suddenly and rushes towards me, launching her hair tentacles forward as she moves. I switch places with Scurry who smiles sadly and sarcastically, letting go of me to allow Flurry to latch onto me and lift me off the ground. The swiftness of her turning me around and bringing me into a hug is nauseating and I grunt slightly at the amount of pressure she applies. Her tone is desperate when she exclaims, "I still love you, no matter what you might be-"

"It's gonna take more than a poor upbringing for me to undo any of my recent decisions," I reply sarcastically, hugging her in return as she starts to sob. The pressure on my body increases as her limbs tighten and others pile in, Marina and Drosyn joining our hug and squeezing me too tightly. I gasp loudly as Claire reluctantly joins the hug too, sarcastically smiling at us as she puts her arms around the cluster of squids. "Okay, break it up, squids. Flurry, you have other obligations," she comments playfully while rubbing the heads of every present with her hands and hair tentacles. Flurry doesn't hear her, lost in her own tears that raise my concern for her state of mind. _She doesn't cry it's really bad..._

Knowing what to do from previous experience, I start to wrap my hair tentacles around hers to create a bond, making sure to rub them to get her attention. It doesn't work initially but after a few tense moments, she eventually calms down enough to tell us what she's thinking. "It's...it's all a lie...everything we're raised to believe...everything is a lie..."

"I'll put that down as an initial shock," I say gently, still rubbing her hair tentacles in an attempt to comfort. I feel compelled to say more and after looking at the others in the hug, they give me the impression that they need me to say more too. _I'm not the hero here...I'm just a squid...but I have to do something, right?_ "I understand that this is a lot to take in...and that now, more than ever, we're unsure...let's just take this a day at a time and really look at this...no making proclamations early, OK?" I say while rubbing Flurry's hair tentacles and am rewarded with a crushing hug from her, a relieved and pained gasp my response to the reward. Worse, everyone else including Claire decide to hug tightly at the same moment, those in the centre of the hug showing a similar level of discomfort as I do. "Too much...affection..." I'm able to gasp, the other's laughing and releasing the hug so that I can breathe. I'm glad to see Flurry managing a smile again but hate myself for what I have to say next.

"Flurry...we still need to bring your sisters home...let's not keep them waiting..."

* * *

Flurry and I stand in front of the two unmarked stones positioned slightly behind the centre grave, completely silent as we stare down at the resting place of the two octolings who didn't survive. Flurry is clutching my right hand with her left and I feel her squeeze it as she sighs sadly. "It seems wrong that I'm here and they aren't...both of them died under my command and one of them was killed by their own," she comments idly and I'm unsure if she's talking to me or herself. I decide it's best to stay silent and listen. "And what's worse is that both deaths were preventable...if I'd just seen what was going on before it happened-"

"Don't do that to yourself," I interrupt sternly, Flurry turning to look at me as my eyes remain locked on the graves in front of me. "I said the same thing to myself when Glag died and it tore me apart from the inside. You have to let it go because you can't change what happened and what you _need_ to change is how you cope with it...these sisters need you to bring them home so let _that_ be your focus," I say grimly, more to convince myself than her. _We can't escape the pain...all we can do is endure it and hope we're left intact when it's over._ Her response is not something I expect from her, biting in its harshness. "Don't quote tradition to me, the one who knows it best and the one who taught you everything you know about it. I know what I need to do and I don't need you to remind me of it," she snaps, letting go of my hand sharply and pushing it away in the process.

"Fair enough," I reply slowly, taking a small step to the right to give her room to work. She moves to a knee swiftly and pulls out a small ink brush from a front pocket on her uniform, clicking the button on the brush to adjusting the hue of the ink. With swift strokes, she begins to brush magenta ink across the stone, the ink burning the symbols of the octoling language into the grave. It only takes a minute for her to finish the inscriptions of both graves, the quick-drying ink hardening to bond with the stone. Though I don't speak the language, I can understand the symbols and read them to myself with mixed emotions.

 _Steph Hato_

 _My heart goes out to those I leave behind._

 _Laurana_ _Maindo_

 _Let's hope I leave a pretty corpse._

I hear Flurry chuckling when she rises to her feet and puts away the ink brush, shaking her head and staring back at the graves. "You always did have a sense of humour, Laurana...and you still care so much, Steph...even now..." she whispers, her right hand slowly moving up to salute the fallen. I do the same out of respect even though I helped cause this situation, the gesture comforting and dismaying in equal measures. _I can never forgive myself...even if I played only a small part in this tragedy..._ "You were my enemy once...and I was taught to splat your species as soon as I could hold an ink gun-" Flurry interrupts in a serious tone, still holding her salute as I do the same. I succeed in preventing my discomfort from her words show on my face. "-and from what I've seen and what I've heard, we're the same...you were taught the same things I was but with a different species as the target-"

"Flurry-" I whisper in an attempt to interrupt but she doesn't hear me, continuing her line of thought as if I said nothing. "Maybe that's why we get along...we're both born as monsters, born to fight and end lives...both trying to be something we can never be..." she whispers, finally moving her arm back to her side but still remaining in front of the graves. My right-hand drops as well while my left-hand finds her right again, her hand closing around mine tightly as soon as I touch her skin. "I tried to splat you the first time we met...and I even pulled it off later...yet after all that, you just kept on going and went with all the things outside of your control-"

"Not without help. Drosyn was grooming me for over a year to be more...sensitive...to octarians, remember? Someone, in particular, gave _that_ order," I say with amusement, feeling slight relief when Flurry laughs lightly. Her tone is far more friendly when she responds, "I had serious doubts that her assistance would work. You seemed so...angry at our species that I didn't think you'd ever get over it...but you did..." I start to feel happier when one of her hair tentacles starts to rub my head but the mood doesn't last as her tone shifts to sad so unexpectedly that I'm still trying to smile. "That was the first time I've ever been with a male in that way...and it ended terribly...I blame myself for-"

"Don't," I say forcefully with minor anger, surprising myself with how hostile I sound but using it instead of pushing it down. "Neither of us knew what was going to happen...you have your own share of blame but that moment is _not_ one of them." My hand tightens on hers slightly, the hand trembling slightly before I can settle down with a few exhales. _That was_ _ **not**_ _a mistake._ With experience and training, I force the anger down again but this time, I understand why I'm angry. "This entire day has been a lot to take in...I just want to go home now," I state glumly, demonstrating my want by moving away from the grave. Flurry doesn't move and when I release her hand, she doesn't let go of my hand. My head turns back to figure out what's wrong and the gaze she gives me is chilling in its intensity.

"You have an obligation of your own before any of us can leave..."

* * *

I'm kneeling in front of the final stone of the graveyard, another blank rock waiting for us to write the name and wishes of the dead. _Waiting for me to write it..._ In my right hand is an ink brush painted cyan that Flurry let me borrow, hovering in front of the grave frozen in place as I will myself to write. There's a slight tremor in the hand and I end up lowering the brush to my side, now unsure of what to write. "You knew him best, Kosh. You know what to write," Scurry says from my right, my head craning slowly up and to the right to see her grim face. She tries to smile at me but it doesn't last, her smile dropping as soon as it forms and her head nodding slowly for me to continue. I smile to myself despite the mood, understanding what she means and turning back to the grave. _Silent communication...I thought that was a Squid Sister thing...oh, right..._ Still smiling awkwardly, I raise the brush and quickly write in Inkling what I already knew to write, my handwriting sloppy but legible.

 _Glag_ ** _Toyoshige_**

 _I live without regrets_

I'm still kneeling there, looking at what I'd written and wondered if Glag still believes this in the afterlife when arms and hair tentacles bring me to my feet, lifting me off the ground as my head snaps to the right to find Flurry instead. She's smiling at me with her usual smile but I'm more concerned about her tilting me sideways. "This again, huh? Fine. I still don't understand why you like this so much," I state playfully as I look straight ahead, watching the scene in front of me rotate in a slow circle. She chuckles to herself as she responds, "It's more a demonstration that I have power over you. Octarians like to express things physically, remember?"

My mind travels to other, darker places and I blush as I put voice to the thoughts involuntarily. "You don't...have to prove that to me...we...we do that enough..." I stutter while wishing that I was on my feet. I'm suddenly spun upright and held in place, Flurry putting her head on my left shoulder as my feet touch the ground. "That isn't what I meant...but I can demonstrate power over you that way too if you want..." she whispers gently, one of her hands going under the back of my shirt to slowly brush the skin. My mind is so unhinged from everything that happened that I enjoy her touching my skin, closing my eyes and reaching out with my hands the brush the hair tentacles she has on my shoulders.

"It's a graveyard, you two. At least do that at home," Logan interrupts, my eyes snapping open to find him and Tanrine standing in front of us. Tanrine is smiling brightly while Logan is smiling cynically. "Uh...yeah...let's do that," I blurt while tugging the hair tentacles on my right shoulder twice, giving Flurry the signal to pick me up and bracing myself against the sudden rush of movement. I look around the graveyard to find just us standing there and look at Logan in confusion and questioning. "Marie said to meet the others at Claire's apartment. She's planning a dinner there," Logan states before grunting from Tanrine leaping on his back. It's an odd sight seeing him grab her legs and carry her when before, he'd try to keep his distance. I can't help but ask as we start moving, "So...about yesterday-"

"That was the best night of my life," Logan interjects but grunts again in discomfort when Tanrine squeals in excitement and hugs him more tightly. "I can't _believe_ you're my boyfriend now!" she exclaims excitedly while rubbing her left cheek against Logan's right cheek, Logan trying to focus on walking and keeping her steady but blushing as a response to the skin contact. "I didn't...want last night to end the way it did but...you seemed into it at the time," he comments timidly, sounding more like his old self in the face of compassion. She doesn't seem to notice the comment, content with smiling and showing her affection while Logan suddenly laughs. "You know what's funny? I promised myself that I'd ask you out if I ever mastered how to take apart and rebuild an Inkstrike missile. I broke my own promise by asking you out and being _worse_ at Inkstrike maintenance."

"You didn't actually ask me out. We went on a date, cried a lot, shared ink, and here we are!" she counters with a smile, Logan rolling his eyes and smiling at the blunt explanation. Though I'd remained silent for most of the trip, I find my mood not as happy as theirs. _Love can hurt plenty..._ "Don't ever let Tanrine go, Logan...that's an order..." I whisper suddenly, not sure if he'd obey or not but finding his face suddenly serious as Tanrine shares the emotion for this moment.

"Yes, sir..."


End file.
